WEBSTER-COOLEY  LANGUAGE  SERIES 


ELEMENTARY 
COMPOSITION 


WILLIAM 

FRANK 
WEBSTEI\ 


/O 


DE 


No.  (Q'. 


N 


m 


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WEBSTER-COOLEY    LA:NGUAGE    SERIES 


ELEMENTARY 
COMPOSITION 


BT 

W.  F.  WEBSTER 

Principal  of  the  East  High  School,  Minneapolis,  Minnesota 
ASSISTED   BY 

ALICE  WOODWOKTH  COOLEY 


HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  AND  COMPANY 

Boston  :  4  Pakk  Street  ;  New  York  :  85  Fifth  Avenue 

Chicago:  378-388  Wabash  Avenue 


COPYRIGHT,    1903,   BY  HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN   &   CO. 
ALL   RIGHTS   RESERVED 

EDUCATION  DEPT. 


Acknowledgmeiits  are  due  to  Messrs.  Charles 
Scribner's  Sons  for  their  kind  permission  to  use  se- 
lections from  the  writings  of  Henry  van  Dyke  and 
Robert  Louis  Stevenson ;  to  the  Bobbs-Merrill  Co. 
for  the  use  of  a  selection  from  James  Whitcomb 
Riley ;  to  Little,  Brown  &  Co.  for  the  use  of  "  The 
True  Ballad  of  the  King's  Singer,"  by  Helen  Hunt 
Jackson  ;  and  to  the  American  Book  Company  for 
the  use  of  "  The  Origin  of  Rivers,"  from  Baldwin's 
'*  School  Readings  by  Grades." 


PREFACE. 

Composition  and  grammar  are  very  intimately 
bound  together.  In  the  earlier  years  of  a  school 
course,  they  are  generally  considered  as  one  sub- 
ject, —  language  ;  but  in  the  later  years  they  are 
pursued  as  separate  subjects.  Among  educators 
there  is  a  difference  of  opinion  regarding  the  time 
when  composition  and  grammar  should  be  taught. 
One  group,  and  that  the  larger,  drop  the  regular 
study  of  composition  when  the  study  of  grammar 
begins.  This  may  be  in  the  sixth,  seventh,  or 
eighth  year  of  a  school  course,  —  rarely  as  late  as 
the  eighth.  They  aver  that  there  is  not  time  to 
pursue  both  grammar  and  composition;  and  as 
grammar  must  be  finished  before  the  high  school 
period,  composition,  except  the  writing  of  occa- 
sional essays,  must  be  dropped.  They  say,  too, 
that  while  studying  grammar,  a  child  is  learning 
composition;  for  familiarity  with  the  principles 
governing  a  language  is  a  direct  and  positive  influ- 
ence leading  to  correct  expression. 

The  second  group  hold  that  a  knowledge  of  the 
grammar  of  a  language  is  a  great  aid  to  expres- 
sion ;  but  that  expression  is  not  best  learned 
through   grammar   alone.     Grammar   deals   only 

54  1442 


iv  PREFACE 

with  sentences ;  but  composition  deals  with  words, 
sentences,  paragraphs,  and  the  larger  themes.  To 
gain  a  knowledge  of  these  subjects  requires  care- 
ful instruction.  They  also  hold  that  for  the  child 
who  leaves  school  before  the  high  school  period, 
there  is  a  serious  limitation  of  his  ability  to  meet 
life,  if  he  has  been  deprived  of  any  possible  train- 
ing in  the  power  of  expression ;  and  that  for  the 
child  that  will  remain  in  school,  any  break  in  the 
continuity  of  language  training  at  a  time  when 
he  is  passing  from  a  mere  child  to  a  self-conscious 
boy  or  girl  is  perilous.  Moreover,  they  believe 
that  in  language,  as  in  any  other  art,  more  is 
learned  by  doing  than  by  studying  how  to  do. 
These  would  have  the  language  and  grammar  con- 
tinued side  by  side  as  in  the  earlier  grades. 

Some  will  prefer  to  continue  the  study  of  com- 
position, but  to  them  the  question  will  arise :  how 
can  there  be  time  enough  ?  In  the  earlier  years 
of  a  school  course,  a  period  a  day  is  given  to  read- 
ing and  a  period  to  language,  —  making  in  all, 
ten  periods  a  week  to  language  subjects.  A  pro- 
gramme that  gives  more  than  this  amount  of  time 
to  these  subjects  lacks  balance.  There  must,  then, 
be  a  division  of  this  time  among  the  three  subjects. 

For  a  child  who  leaves  school  at  the  end  of  the 
grammar  grades,  —  and  he  belongs  to  the  great 
majority,  —  there  is  no  need  of  as  much  instruction 
in  grammar  as  two  full  years  will  give.  Moreover, 
much  of  the  grammar  requires  greater  maturity  of 


PREFACE  V 

thought  than  the  average  twelve-year-old  has. 
The  evident  solution  is  to  reduce  the  amount  of 
grammar  in  the  seventh  grade,  giving  more  time 
for  language ;  and  in  the  eighth  year  to  reduce  the 
time  given  to  literature  and  language,  placing  the 
stress  upon  grammar.  The  following  tables  indi- 
cate a  possible  division  of  the  time :  — 

Seventh  Year.  Eighth  Year. 


Beading.     Composition.     Grammar.      Beading.     Composition.     Grammar. 

4  4  2  3  3  4 
or             or              OP              or              or              or 

5  3  2  3  2  5 

This  book,  the  third  in  this  series,  has  been 
written  with  both  classes  in  mind.  It  can  be  used 
in  the  first  year  of  a  high  school  course  by  those 
who  suspended  the  regular  study  of  composition  in 
the  grammar  grades,  and  will  make  an  easy  intro- 
duction to  the  more  advanced  study  of  high  school 
classics  and  composition.  Or  it  will  be  found  to 
contain  sufficient  material  for  study,  if  the  compo- 
sition is  pursued  in  conjunction  with  grammar,  and 
it  will  give  an  adequate  preparation  for  high  school 
composition  and  literature. 

A  word  should  be  said  about  the  subjects  for 
composition.  The  object  has  been  to  make  them 
as  varied  and  suggestive  as  possible.  But  no  per- 
son can  assign  subjects  for  composition  so  happily 
as  the  teacher  of  a  class.  She  is  acquainted  with 
the  manifold  interests  of  the  little  community  of 


vi  PREFACE 

which  she  has  charge.  Their  lives  are  crowded 
with  incidents ;  their  minds  have  earnest  thoughts ; 
their  hearts  quiver  with  deep  feehng.  The  real 
teacher  keeps  close  to  the  hearts  of  her  children ; 
for  there  are  rich  mines  of  living  themes.  The 
subjects  in  the  book  are  good,  and  will  suggest 
methods  of  using  material ;  but  the  best  composi- 
tions come  from  the  pulsing  lives  of  the  children. 
This  book,  like  the  others  of  the  series,  is  based 
on  these  principles:  that  exercises  are  a  ready 
means  of  fixing  correct  habits  in  the  use  of  lan- 
guage ;  that  life  about  us  and  life  in  the  world  of 
books  is  crowded  with  things  to  talk  about ;  that 
literature  shows  perfect  ideals  of  strong  and  beau- 
tiful language ;  and  that  contact  with  the  best  that 
has  been  thought  in  the  world  dignifies  a  child's 
thinking  and  leads  to  true  and  lofty  expression. 

W.  F.  Webster. 

Minneapolis,  Minn.,  August  9, 1903. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

Chapteb.  PxaB. 

I.   Quotations     .    .    •    .    « 1 

Direct  and  Indirect  —  Use  of  Quotation  Marks  —  Use 
of  Capital  Letters,  Commas,  Semicolon,  Colon. 

II.  Paragraphs 22 

Topic  Sentence  —  Length  of  Paragraph  —  Unity  of 
Paragraph. 

III.  Sentences    .    .     , 75 

Use  of  Synonyms  —  Use  of  Antonyms  —  Use  of  Com- 
parisons —  Figures  of  Speech  —  Unity  of  Sentences. 

IV.  Composition  Writing 145       L 

Knowledge  of  Subject  —  Interest  in  Subject  —  Length 
of  Essay  —  Condensation  —  Amplification  —  Proportion 
of  Treatment. 

V.  Narration 178     U 

Unity  —  The  Main  Incident  — ■  Consistency  —  The  Be- 
ginning of  a  Story. 

VI.  Description 205 

Observation  —  Point  of  View  —  Unity  —  Feeling  — 
Number  of  Details. 

VII.   Exposition 239 

Use  of  Outlines  —  Exposition  by  Repetition  —  By  Ob- 
verse Repetition  —  By  Examples  —  By  Analogy. 

VIII.  Letter  Writing 264 

The  Heading  —  Address  —  Salutation  —  Body  of  a 
Letter  —  Complimentary  Close  —  Signature  —  Formal 
and  Informal  Notes. 

The  Great  Stone  Face       292 

Rules  for  Punctuation      - 317 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PAGK 

Queen  Louise 55 

Richter. 

The  Lion  of  Lucerne  ....••        ^       -      69 

Thorwaldsen. 

The  Great  Stone  Face        .•..•*        .      77 
From  a  Photograph, 

Beethoven  in  his  Study     .        .        .        .        *        «        .     155 

Schloesser, 

Morning  Prayers  in  the  Family  of  Sebastian  Bach    .    165 
RosenthaL 

Mozart  singing  his  Requiem i    171 

Shields. 

The  Wounded  Lioness         .        •        .        •        o        *       -    213 

Dicksee. 

Curiosity ,       .    227 

J,  Adam, 


ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION. 


CHAPTER  I. 

QUOTATION  MARKS. 
DIRECT  QUOTATIONS. 

1.  "  Will  they  be  Indians  ? "  inquired  my  brother 
(meaning  the  enemy);  "or  Roundheads,  or  what?" 

2.  I  reflected.  Harold  always  required  direct,  straight- 
forward answers  —  not  faltering  suppositions. 

3.  "  They  won't  be  Indians,"  I  replied  at  last ;  "  nor 
yet  Roundheads.  There  haven't  been  any  Roundheads 
seen  about  here  for  a  long  time.  They  '11  be  French- 
men." 

4.  Harold's  face  fell.  "All  right,"  he  said;  "French- 
men  '11  do  ;  but  I  did  hope  they  'd  be  Indians." 

5.  "  If  they  were  going  to  be  Indians,"  I  explained,  — 
"  I  don't  think  I  'd  go  on.  Because  when  Indians  take 
you  prisoner,  they  scalp  you  first,  and  then  burn  you  at  a 
stake.     But  Frenchmen  don't  do  that  sort  of  thing." 

6.  "  Are  you  quite  sure  ?  "  asked  Harold  doubtfully. 

7.  "  Quite,"  I  replied.  "  Frenchmen  only  shut  you  up 
in  a  thing  called  a  Bastille ;  and  then  you  get  a  file  sent  in  to 
you  in  a  loaf  of  bread,  and  saw  the  bars  through,  and  slide 
down  a  rope,  and  they  all  fire  at  you  —  but  they  don't  hit 
you,  —  and  you  run  down  to  the  seashore  as  hard  as  you 
can,  and  swim  off  to  a  British  frigate  and  there  you  are." 

Gbahame,  from  The  Golden  Age, 


•2       '  '    '  'ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

'"' 111 'tte'^ele^-ticm  just  quoted,  the  exact  words  of 

the  speakers  have  been   reported.     These  words 

and  sentences  are  direct  quotations. 

A  direct  quotation  is  one  that  reports  the  exact 
words  of  a  speaker  or  writer. 

There  are  certain  rules  for  the  punctuation  of 
quotations.  They  have  been  followed  by  the  author 
in  the  selection  quoted  above.  By  studying  care- 
fully the  way  it  is  punctuated,  the  method  of 
punctuation  for  all  quotations  may  be  learned. 

1.  Every  direct  quotation  should  be  inclosed  in  quo- 
tation marks  ("    "). 

In  the  first  paragraph  of  the  selection  above, 
"  Will  they  be  Indians,  or  Roundheads,  or  what  ?  " 
is  one  question,  asked  by  one  person  ;  and  if  it 
were  not  broken  in  two  by  the  words,  "  inquired 
my  brother  (meaning  the  enemy),"  there  would 
be  no  need  of  two  sets  of  marks.  It  would  be 
written  as  follows :  — 

"  Will  they  be  Indians,  or  Roundheads,  or  what  ?  "  in- 
quired my  brother  (meaning  the  enemy). 

Since,  however,  the  quotation  is  broken  by  some 
words  of  the  author,  there  is  need  of  two  sets  of 
quotation  marks.  And  so  there  follows  this  sec- 
ond rule :  — 

2.  If  a  direct  quotation  is  broken  by  some  words  of 
the  author,  each  part  of  the  quotation  should  be  in- 
closed in  quotation  marks. 


QUOTATION  MARKS  3 

Exercise. 

Re-write  the  following  sentences,  taken  from  J. 
G.  Holland's  *^  Arthur  Bonnicastle/'  putting  in  the 
quotation  marks  wherever  they  belong.  Look 
very  carefully  at  the  other  marks  of  punctuation, 
—  the  commas,  the  semicolons,  the  interrogation 
marks,  and  the  exclamation  marks.  Be  sure  you 
can  spell  every  word.^ 

Arthur  Bonnicastle,  said  the  officer  before  mentioned, 
you  are  brought  before  "  The  High  Society  of  Inquiry  " 
on  a  charge  of  telling  so  many  lies  that  no  dependence 
whatever  can  be  placed  upon  your  words.  What  have  you 
to  reply  to  this  charge  ?     Are  you  guilty  or  not  guilty  ? 

I  am  not  guilty.  Who  says  I  am?  I  exclaimed  indig- 
nantly. 

Henry  Hulm,  advance !  said  the  officer. 

Henry  rose,  and  walking  by  me,  took  a  position  near  the 
officer,  at  the  head  of  the  room. 

Henry  Hulm,  you  will  look  upon  the  prisoner,  and  tell 
the  Society  whether  you  know  him. 

I  know  him  well.     He  is  my  chum,  replied  Henry.  .  .  . 

Do  you  consider  him  a  boy  of  truth  and  veracity  ? 

I  do  not. 

Has  he  deceived  you  ?  inquired  the  officer.  If  he  has, 
please  to  state  the  occasion  and  circumstances. 

No,  your  Honor.  He  has  never  deceived  me.  I  always 
know  when  he  lies  and  when  he  speaks  the  truth. 

Have  you  ever  told  him  of  his  crimes  and  warned  him 
to  desist  from  them  ? 

I  have,  replied  Henry,  many  times. 

*  This  should  be  given  as  dictation  in  class. 


4  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

What  IS  the  character  of  his  falsehoods  ? 

He  tells,  replied  Henry,  stunning  stories  about  himself. 
Great  things  are  always  happening  to  him,  and  he  is 
always  performing  the  most  wonderful  deeds. 

I  now  began  with  great  shame  and  confusion  to  realize 
that  I  was  to  be  exposed  to  ridicule.  .  .  . 

Will  you  give  us  some  specimens  of  his  stories?  said 
the  officer. 

I  will,  responded  Henry ;  but  I  can  do  it  best  by  asking 
him  some  questions. 

Very  well,  said  the  officer,  with  a  polite  bow.  Pursue 
the  course  you  think  best. 

Holland,  from  Arthur  Bonnicastle, 
CAPITAL    LETTEKS. 

Several  rules  for  the  use  of  capital  letters  have 
been  learned.     Among  them  are  these  :  — 

1.  The  first  word  of  every  sentence  should  begin 
with  a  capital  letter. 

2.  The  words  I  and  O  are  always  written  with 
capital  letters. 

3.  The  first  word  of  every  verse  of  poetry  should 
begin  with  a  capital  letter. 

4.  All  names  of  the  Deity  should  begin  with  cap- 
ital letters. 

6.  All  proper  names  should  begin  with  capital 
letters. 

6.  All  adjectives  formed  from  proper  names  should 
begin  with  capital  letters. 

Exercise, 

Write  two  sentences  to  illustrate  each  of  the 
rules  for  the  use  of  capital  letters.  You  will  find 
good  sentences  in  the  literature  you  are  reading  — 
probably  better  than  you  can  make  up. 


QUOTATION  MARKS  5 

Give  the  reason  for  every  capital  letter  in  the 
quotation  from  "  The  Golden  Age."  The  meaning 
of  two  words  should  be  understood.  "  Round- 
heads" were  men  who,  led  by  Cromwell,  fought 
against  the  English  king,  Charles  I.,  conquered 
him,  and  had  him  beheaded.  They  were  called 
^'  Roundheads,"  because  they  wore  their  hair  cut 
very  short.  ''  The  Bastille  "  was  a  famous  prison 
in  the  city  of  Paris.   It  was  destroyed  in  1790. 

Composition  Exercise, 

From  the  little  extract  on  page  1,  what  do  you 
think  Harold  and  his  older  brother  were  playing  ? 
Was  it  good  fun  ?  Were  there  any  others  in  the 
game?  Had  any  of  them  seen  an  Indian?  Of 
course  they  had  never  seen  a  Roundhead.  Where 
were  they  when  they  played  this  game  ?  Was  it  in 
the  afternoon,  or  was  it  just  getting  dusk  ?  Go  on 
and  tell  how  it  came  out. 

Or  tell  of  the  best  time  you  ever  had  playing 
at  the  game  you  liked  the  most.  When  was  it  ? 
Where  was  it  ?   Who  played  ? 

CAPITAL  LETTERS  IN  QUOTATIONS. 

The  rules  for  capital  letters  already  learned  will 
explain  all  the  capitals  in  the  following  selection, 
except  those  in  the  last  paragraph.  Look  at  the 
way  the  capital  letters  are  used  in  that  paragraph, 
and  be  able  to  give  the  seventh  rule  for  the  use  of 
capital  letters. 


6  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

The  gentle  Prince  Arthur  has  been  sent  to  the 
castle  of  Falaise  in  France  by  the  wicked  King 
John.     Dickens  goes  on  with  the  painful  story  :  — 

One  day,  while  he  was  in  prison  at  that  castle,  mourn- 
fully thinking  it  strange  that  one  so  young  should  be  in  so 
much  trouble,  and  looking  out  of  the  small  window  in  the 
deep,  dark  wall,  at  the  summer  sky  and  the  birds,  the  door 
was  softly  opened,  and  he  saw  his  uncle,  the  King,  standing 
in  the  shadow  of  the  archway,  looking  very  grim. 

"  Arthur,"  said  the  King,  with  his  wicked  eyes  more  on 
the  stone  floor  than  on  his  nephew,  "  will  you  not  trust  to 
the  gentleness,  the  friendship,  and  the  truthfulness  of  your 
loving  uncle  ?  " 

"  I  will  tell  my  loving  uncle  that,"  replied  the  boy,  "  when 
he  does  me  right.  Let  him  restore  to  me  my  kingdom  of 
England,  and  then  come  to  me  and  ask  the  question." 

The  King  looked  at  him  and  went  out.  "  Keep  that  boy 
close  prisoner,"  said  he  to  the  warden  of  the  castle. 

Then  the  King  took  secret  counsel  with  the  worst  of 
his  nobles  how  the  Prince  was  to  be  got  rid  of.  Some 
said,  "  Put  out  his  eyes  and  keep  him  in  prison,  as  Rob- 
ert of  Normandy  was  kept."  Others  said,  "  Have  him 
stabbed."     Others,  "  Have  him  hanged."    Others,  "  Have 

him  poisoned."  Dickens,  from  A  Child's  History  of  England. 

7.  The  first  word  of  every  direct  quotation  should 
begin  with  a  capital  letter. 

Some  pupils  always  begin  the  second  part  of  a 
broken  quotation  with  a  capital  letter.  They  for- 
get that  there  is  but  one  first  word  of  a  quotation. 
If  the  break  in  a  quotation  comes  in  the  middle  of 
a  sentence,  the  second  part  of  the  quotation  should 


QUOTATION  MARKS  7 

not  begin  with  a  capital  letter,  unless  for  some 
other  good  reason.  Of  course,  if  it  should  be  a 
proper  name,  or  the  word  I  or  0,  or  the  first  word 
of  a  sentence,  it  should  begin  with  a  capital  letter, 
whether  it  is  in  a  quotation  or  not.  On  page  1, 
paragraph  4,  "  Frenchmen  "  begins  with  a  capital 
letter,  not  because  it  is  within  the  quotation  marks, 
but  because  it  is  a  proper  name.  So  in  paragraph 
5,  "  I "  before  "  explained  "  begins  with  a  capital 
letter,  as  it  always  does.  But  in  paragraph  3,  ^^nor" 
does  not  begin  with  a  capital  letter,  though  it  is 
the  first  word  of  the  second  part  of  the  quotation. 
Notice  very  carefully  the  position  of  the  marks 
at  the  close  of  a  quotation.  The  quotation  marks 
come  after  the  other  marks  of  punctuation.  The 
period,  or  the  question  mark,  or  the  exclamation 
point  is  as  much  a  part  of  a  sentence  as  the  last 
word.  There  is  a  big  difference  between  "  Yo  ho, 
there,  Ebenezer,  Dick,"  and  "  Yo  ho,  there  !  Eben- 
ezer !  Dick  !  "  The  marks  of  punctuation  help  to 
express  the  thought  and  feeling.  If,  then,  the  quo- 
tation marks  inclose  the  whole  of  the  quotation, 
they  must  include  the  final  mark  of  punctuation. 

Exercise. 

Study  the  following  poem.  Know  who  said 
each  thing  that  is  said ;  then  you  will  be  able  to 
put  the  quotation  marks  in  the  right  place.  Write 
these  two  stanzas  from  memory.  Spell  every  word 
correctly.     Notice  the  way  Tennyson  has  spelled 


8  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

"buzz'd/'  ^^wither'd,"  and  "It's."     What  is  the 
reason  for  the  apostrophe  in  these  words  ? 

THE  BEE  AND  THE  FLOWER. 

The  bee  buzz'd  up  in  the  heat. 
"  I  am  faint  for  your  honey,  my  sweet." 
The  flower  said,  "  Take  it,  my  dear, 
For  now  is  the  spring  of  the  year. 
So  come,  come !  " 
"  Hum ! " 
And  the  bee  buzz'd  down  from  the  heat. 

And  the  bee  buzz'd  up  in  the  cold 
When  the  flower  was  wither'd  and  old. 
"  Have  you  still  any  honey,  my  dear  ?  " 
She  said,  "  It 's  the  fall  of  the  year, 
But  come,  come !  " 
"  Hum ! " 
And  the  bee  buzz'd  off  in  the  cold. 

Alfbed,  Lord  Tennyson. 

COMMA,  SEMICOLON,  AND    COLON. 

Sin  has  many  tools,  but  a  lie  is  the  handle  which  fits 
them  all. 

Now  the  authors  of  this  book  were  not  the  first 
to  say  this  witty  sentence.  It  belongs  to  Oliver 
Wendell  Holmes.  It  should  have  been  inclosed  in 
quotation  marks,  because  it  is  borrowed  from  him. 
Notice  very  carefully  the  different  ways  of  saying 
and  punctuating  this  sentence  shown  in  the  first 
six  sentences  below.  Then  study  the  punctuation 
of  the  next  sentences. 


QUOTATION  MARKS  9 

1.  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes  said,  "  Sin  has  many  tools, 
but  a  lie  is  the  handle  which  fits  them  all." 

2.  "  Sin,"  said  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes,  "  has  many 
tools,  but  a  lie  is  the  handle  which  fits  them  all." 

3.  "  Sin  has  many  tools,  but  a  lie  is  the  handle  which 
fits  them  all,"  said  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes. 

4.  "Is  there  any  sin  that  does  not  call  for  a  lie  after- 
wards ?  "  asked  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes. 

5.  "  Sin  has  a  thousand  tools,  and  a  lie  is  the  handle 
for  them  all !  "  exclaimed  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes. 

6.  "  Sin  has  many  tools,"  said  Oliver  Wendell  Holmes ; 
*'  but  a  lie  is  the  handle  which  fits  them  all." 

7.  This  good  thing  is  found  in  "Poor  Richard's 
Almanac " :  "At  the  workingman's  house,  hunger  looks 
in  but  dares  not  enter." 

8.  In  Whittier's  "  Seeking  of  the  Waterfall,"  there  are 
the  following  beautiful  lines  :  — 

"  To  seek  is  better  than  to  gain. 
The  fond  hope  dies  as  we  attain  ; 
Life's  fairest  things  are  those  which  seem, 
The  best  is  that  of  which  we  dream." 

In  the  first  sentence,  what  mark  of  punctuation 
separates  the  words  of  the  author  from  the  quota- 
tion ?  In  the  second  sentence,  what  marks  separate 
the  words  of  the  author  from  the  quotation  ?  In 
the  third  sentence  ?  What  mark  is  used  for  that 
purpose  in  the  fourth  sentence  ?  Do  you  know 
the  reason  for  this  mark  ?  What  mark  is  used  in 
the  fifth  sentence?  Why  is  a  comma  not  used 
here  ?  Can  you  explain  why  a  semicolon  follows 
the  words  of  the  author  in  the  sixth  sentence  ? 


10  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

What  mark  is  used  before  the  formal  quotation  in 
the  seventh  sentence  ?  What  before  the  formal 
quotation  of  the  stanza  of  poetry  ? 

From  these  sentences  we  may  derive  the  follow- 
ing rules  for  the  punctuation  of  quotations. 

A  short  informal  quotation  is  separated  from  the 
words  of  the  author  by  a  comma,  or  by  commas. 

This  rule  is  true  whether  the  quotation  precedes, 
follows,  or  is  divided  by  the  words  of  the  author. 
It  is  illustrated  by  the  first  three  sentences  above. 

Two  exceptions  should  be  made  to  the  rule. 

1st.  A  question  or  an  exclamation  is  followed  by 
a  question  mark  or  an  exclamation  mark,  always, 
whether  quoted  or  not. 

Notice  sentences  4  and  5. 

2d.  If  the  quotation  is  composed  of  two  independent 
parts,  and  the  words  of  the  author  separate  these 
parts,  a  semicolon,  not  a  comma,  usually  follows  the 
words  of  the  author. 

Sentence  6  illustrates  this  exception. 

A  long  quotation,  or  a  quotation  formally  intro- 
duced, is  usually  preceded  by  a  colon,  or  by  a  colon 
and  a  dash. 

For  examples,  see  sentences  7  and  8. 

Exercise. 

Find  in  books  two  examples  of  the  first  rule  and 
of  each  exception.  Write  them  out  carefully  and 
bring  them  to  class.  Bring  also  three  good  ex- 
amples of  formally  introduced  quotations.  Find 
thoughts  that  are  worthy  to  be  quoted. 


QUOTATION  MARKS  11 

Composition  Exercise. 

Monsieur  Kandolphe  was  a  poor  French  peasant.  He 
and  his  wife  worked  hard  all  the  long  day  to  get  food  for 
their  little  family.  One  morning  Marc  and  Robin,  their 
boys,  were  playing  with  their  pets  near  the  door.  Their 
talk  ran  on  about  their  rabbits  and  pigeons,  until  their 
sister,  Marie,  appeared ;  then  they  began  to  speak  of  the 
marriage  of  Marie  to  Charles  Bertrand,  a  poor  peasant 
lad.  In  their  conversation  it  occurred  to  one  of  the  boys 
that  the  only  things  they  had  to  give  their  sister  as  a 
wedding  present  were  their  pet  pigeons  and  rabbits. 

(The  story  of  these  poor  boys  is  found  in  "The 
Peasant  and  the  Prince/'  by  Harriet  Martineau.) 

Write  the  conversation  of  the  boys  about  their 
pets.  Then,  when  Marie  appears,  have  them  say 
a  few  words  to  her ;  and  when  she  has  gone,  have 
one  of  them  announce  his  decision  to  give  his  pets 
to  Marie.  Did  the  other  agree  to  this  decision  ? 
The  story  would  not  be  complete  if  the  reader 
were  not  told  who  the  boys  were,  where  they  were, 
and  what  they  were  doing. 

WORD    STUDY. 

Very  often  it  happens  that  pupils  in  reporting  a 
conversation  use  but  two  words  to  express  the 
many  ways  in  which  persons  speak.  Whether  the 
person  shrieks  or  barely  whispers,  the  pupil  will 
insist  upon  using  "said"  and  "asked."  It  is  not 
a  good  choice  of  words  to  write,  "  To  arms !  to 
arms !  "  suggested  the  commander ;  or  "  Sh !  see 


12 


ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 


interrupted 

suggested 

called 

accosted 

rejoined 

yelled 

spoke 

remarked 

retorted 

questioned 

whispered 

shouted 

explained 

cried 

shrieked 

him !  "  he  shouted.  Below  is  given  a  list  of  the 
more  common  words  which  may  be  used  in  report- 
ing a  conversation.  Study  these  words  until  you 
are  sure  you  can  use  them  correctly. 

said 

inquired 

asked 

answered 

replied 

Exerdse. 
Write  ten  sentences  using  ten  of  these  words 
correctly.     Have  each   sentence  contain  a  direct 
quotation. 

Exercise. 

Bring  to  class  ten  other  words  which  might  be 
used  in  reporting  a  conversation.  Write  sentences 
using  correctly  the  words  you  have  found.  Have 
three  of  the  sentences  contain  broken  quotations 
long  enough  so  that  you  will  need  to  use  semi- 
colons in  them. 

Composition  Exercise. 
You  remember  that  the  officer  of  the  court  had 
just  instructed  Henry  Hulm  to  pursue  the  course 
he  thought  best  in  showing  that  Arthur  Bonni- 
castle  did  not  tell  the  truth.  Will  you  now  go  on 
with  the  questioning  as  you  think  Henry  did  it. 
You  will  have  to  make  up  a  few  ^^  stunning  sto- 
ries "  that  Arthur  had  told  his  room-mate.  If  you 
have  read  the  book,  make  up  some  other  stories 


QUOTATION  MARKS  13 

of  incidents  that  could  not  have  happened.  Do 
not  forget  that  Arthur  was  ashamed  and  confused, 
and  knew  that  he  was  to  be  exposed  to  ridicule. 
What  questions  would  Henry  ask  to  make  Arthur 
a  mark  for  ridicule  ?  How  would  Arthur  answer 
if  he  were  confused  and  ashamed  ? 

PAKAGRAPHESTG. 

If  the  selections  already  quoted  be  examined,  it 
will  be  found  that  every  time  the  speaker  changes, 
there  is  a  new  paragraph.  What  is  said  by  one 
person  makes  one  paragraph ;  and  what  is  said  in 
answer  by  another  person  forms  a  second  para- 
graph. In  the  selection  from  ^^  Arthur  Bonni- 
castle,"  the  subject  of  the  first  paragraph  is  the 
statement  of  the  officer ;  and  the  subject  of  the 
second  paragraph  is  the  assertion  and  question 
of  Arthur.  Each  question  and  each  reply  is  a 
group  of  related  sentences,  or  sometimes  but  a 
single  sentence,  treating  a  single  topic.  So  m 
recording  a  conversation^  what  one  person  saySy 
whether  one  word,  or  a  whole  page  full  of  words, 
is  usually  put  into  one  paragraph. 

Exercise. 

In  the  following  selections,  make  the  division 
into  paragraphs  as  it  should  be.  Also  put  in  the 
marks  of  punctuation  and  capitals  which  have 
been  omitted.  Wherever  there  are  marks  of 
punctuation  and  capital  letters,  they  are  correct. 


14  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

THE   MAN  AND   THE  GOOSE. 

A  man  was  plucking  a  living  goose,  when  his  victim 
addressed  him  thus  suppose  you  were  a  goose  do  you  think 
you  would  relish  this  sort  of  thing  well  suppose  I  were 
answered  the  man  do  you  think  you  would  like  to  pluck 
me  indeed  I  would  was  the  emphatic  natural  but  injudi- 
cious reply  just  so  concluded  her  tormentor  that 's  the  way 
I  feel  about  the  matter. 

THE  HODJA'S  DONKEY. 

A  friend  called  on  Narr-ed-din  to  borrow  his  donkey 
very  sorry  says  the  Hodja  who  does  not  wish  to  lend  the 
animal  but  the  donkey  is  not  here  I  have  hired  him  out 
for  the  day  unfortunately  just  at  that  moment  the  donkey 
begins  to  bray  loudly  thus  giving  the  direct  lie  to  the 
Hodja  how  is  this  says  his  friend  you  say  the  donkey  is 
away  and  here  he  is  braying  in  the  stable !  the  Hodja 
nothing  daunted  replies  in  this  manner  my  dear  sir  please 
do  not  demean  yourself  so  low  as  to  believe  the  donkey 
rather  than  myself  —  a  fellow-man  and  a  venerable  Hodja 
with  a  long  gray  beard  the  moral  of  the  last  fable  some 
people  will  never  perceive  it  is  this :  A  donkey  will 
always  reveal  himself  by  some  inappropriate  remark. 

INDIRECT    QUOTATIONS. 

So  far,  in  the  study  of  quotations,  the  exact  words 
of  the  speaker  have  been  reported.  It  is  possible 
to  report  the  thought  of  a  speaker  without  giving 
his  exact  words.  John  said  that  he  was  afraid, 
gives  a  report  of  what  John  said,  but  not  in  John's 
exact  words.     John  said, '^  I  am  afraid,"  reports 


QUOTATION  MAEKS  15 

the  same  thought  and  in  John's  very  words.  The 
latter  is  a  direct  quotation  ;  the  former  is  an  indi- 
rect quotation. 

The  following  selection  is  taken  from  Warner's 
"  Being  a  Boy."  It  is  almost  entirely  an  indirect 
quotation. 

John  hoped  it  would  be  slippery  —  very  —  when  he 
walked  home  with  Cynthia,  as  he  determined  to  do,  but 
he  did  not  dare  to  say  so,  and  the  conversation  ran 
aground  again.  John  thought  about  his  dog  and  his  sled 
and  his  yoke  of  steers,  but  he  did  n't  see  any  way  to  bring 
them  into  conversation.  Had  she  read  the  "  Swiss  Family 
Robinson  "  ?  Only  a  little  ways.  John  said  it  was  splen- 
did, and  he  would  lend  it  to  her,  for  which  she  thanked 
him,  and  said,  with  such  a  sweet  expression,  she  should  be 
so  glad  to  have  it  from  him.     That  was  encouraging. 

And  then  John  asked  Cynthia  if  she  had  seen  Sally 
Hawkes  since  the  husking  at  their  house,  when  Sally 
found  so  many  red  ears ;  and  did  n't  she  think  she  was  a 
real  pretty  girl. 

"  Yes,  she  was  right  pretty  ; "  and  Cynthia  guessed 
Sally  knew  it  pretty  well.  But  did  John  like  the  color  of 
her  eyes  ? 

No  ;  John  did  n't  like  the  color  of  her  eyes  exactly. 

"  Her  mouth  would  do  well  enough  if  she  did  n't  laugh 
so  much  and  show  her  teeth." 

John  said  her  mouth  was  her  worst  feature. 

"  Oh  no,"  said  Cynthia,  warmly ;  "  her  mouth  is  better 
than  her  nose." 

John  did  n't  know  but  it  was  better  than  her  nose,  but 
he  should  like  her  looks  better  if  her  hair  was  n't  so  dread- 
ful black. 


16  ELEMENTAEY  COMPOSITION 

But  Cynthia,  who  could  afford  to  be  generous  now,  said 
she  liked  black  hair,  and  she  wished  hers  was  dark. 
Whereupon   John   protested   that  he  liked  light  hair  — 

auburn  hair  -;-  of  all  things.  Warner,  from  Being  a  Boy. 

An  indirect  quotation  is  one  that  reports  the  thought, 
but  not  the  exact  words,  of  a  speaker  or  w^riter. 

An  indirect  quotation  should  not  be  inclosed  within 
quotation  marks. 

Did  you  not  notice  the  two  words  in  the  selec- 
tion used  incorrectly  ?  Why  are  they  wrong  ? 
Do  not  use  them  in  the  next  exercise. 

Exercise. 

Every  indirect  quotation  can  be  changed  into  a 
direct  quotation.  Commencing  in  the  middle  of 
the  first  paragraph,  where  John  first  speaks  to 
Cynthia,  the  remainder  of  it  might  be  made  to 
read  as  follows  :  — 

Then  it  occurred  to  John  that  he  might  ask  Cynthia 
about  the  last  book  he  had  been  reading.  "  Have  you 
read  '  Swiss  Family  Eobinson  '  ? ''  inquired  John,  with  a 
feeling  of  relief. 

"  Only  a  little  ways,"  answered  Cynthia. 

"  It  is  fine  ;  I  '11  lend  it  to  you,"  broke  out  John. 

"  I  thank  you,"  replied  Cynthia,  with  such  a  sweet  ex- 
pression that  John  felt  much  encouraged.  "  I  should  be 
so  glad  to  have  it  from  you." 

Finish  the  selection  in  the  direct  form.  Be  very 
careful  of  all  the  marks  of  punctuation,  and  the 
capital  letters. 


QUOTATION  MARKS  17 

Composition  Exercise. 

In  the  story  of  Arthur  Boniiicastle  are  these 
paragraphs :  — 

At  this  moment  a  strange  silence  seized  the  assembly. 
.  .  .  There,  in  the  doorway,  stood  Mr.  Bird.  .  .  . 

The  officer  who  had  presided,  being  the  largest  boy, 
explained  that  they  had  been  trying  to  break  Arthur  Bon- 
nicastle  of  lying,  and  that  they  were  about  to  order  him  to 
report  to  the  master  for  confession  and  correction.  Then 
Mr.  Bird  took  a  chair,  and  patiently  heard  the  whole 
story.  .  .  . 

Tell  what  the  officer  told  Mr.  Bird^  reporting  the 
conversation  between  Arthur  and  Henry  indirectly^ 
not  directly.     Shall  you  use  quotation  marks  ? 

PARTIAL   QUOTATIONS. 

It  is  sometimes  the  case  that  a  person  in  writing 
wishes  to  quote  a  few  words  from  some  author, 
which  seem  to  fit  the  place  better  than  anything 
he  can  say.  If  he  does  not  use  a  whole  sentence, 
but  only  a  word  or  a  phrase  from  the  sentence,  he 
uses  the  quotation  marks  to  show  that  the  words 
are  not  his  own  but  belong  to  some  other  person. 
But  he  does  not  commence  such  a  quotation  with 
a  capital  letter,  neither  does  he  place  any  comma 
before  the  quotation.  There  may  be  a  comma 
there,  but  it  is  for  some  other  reason,  not  because- 
the  words  which  follow  are  quoted. 

Over  here  in  Germany,  "  'mid  pleasures  and  paJaces^" 
one  finds  much  to  trouble  and  annoy. 


18  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

In  this  sentence  there  is  a  quotation  of  the  first 
words  of  ^^  Home,  Sweet  Home";  they  do  not 
begin  with  a  capital  letter,  but-  they  are  inclosed 
by  quotation  marks.  Notice,  too,  that  the  com- 
mas would  be  there  whether  there  were  quotation 
marks  or  not.    Why  ? 

Partial  quotations  from  any  author  are  inclosed  by 
quotation  marks  ;  but  partial  quotations  do  not  neces- 
sarily begin  with  capital  letters,  nor  do  they  call  for 
the  use  of  commas  or  semicolons,  as  do  the  full  quota- 
tions. They  follow  the  rules  for  punctuation  of  sen- 
tences that  are  not  quoted. 

Other  examples  of  partial  quotations  are  given 
below.    They  are  all  from  Irving's  "  Sketch  Book." 

1.  He  had  overheard  a  boast  of  Bones,  that  he  would 
''  double  the  schoolmaster  up,  and  lay  him  on  a  shelf  of 
his  own  schoolhouse." 

2.  The  good  people  of  Sleepy  Hollow,  as  they  sat  by 
their  doors  of  an  evening,  were  often  filled  with  awe,  at 
hearing  his  nasal  melody,  "  in  linked  sweetness  long  drawn 
out,"  floating  from  the  distant  hill,  or  along  the  dusky 
road. 

3.  The  establishment  reminded  me  of  that  of  the  re- 
nowned Robinson  Crusoe;  it  was  kept  in  neat  order, 
everything  being  "  stowed  away  "  with  the  regularity  of 
a  ship  of  war ;  and  he  informed  me  that  he  "  scoured  the 
deck  every  morning,  and  swept  it  between  meals." 

4.  I  have  a  kind  feeling  towards  all  "  brothers  of  the 
angle,"  ever  since  I  read  Izaak  Walton.  They  are  men, 
he  affirms,  of  the  "'  mild,  sweet,  and  peaceable  spirit." 

6.  Warriors,  prelates,  courtiers,  and  statesmen,  lie 
mouldering  in  their  "  beds  of  darkness." 


QUOTATION  MARKS  19 

6.  His  errors  and  follies  are  remembered  "  more  in 
sorrow  than  in  anger." 

7.  I  have  heard  a  worthy  but  aristocratic  old  friend 
observe,  when  speaking  of  the  sumptuous  palaces  of  mod- 
ern gentry,  that  "  money  could  do  much  with  stone  and 
mortar,  but,  thank  heaven,  there  was  no  such  thing  as 
suddenly  building  up  an  avenue  of  oaks." 

8.  In  the  midst  of  his  musing,  as  he  casts  his  eyes 
downward,  he  beholds  the  "  fairest  and  freshest  young 
flower "  that  ever  he  had  seen.  It  is  the  lovely  Lady 
Jane,  walking  in  the  garden  to  enjoy  the  beauty  of  that 
"  fresh  May  morning." 

QUOTATION  WITHIN  A  QUOTATION. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  there  is  a  quotation 
within  a  quotation.  If  John  had  wished  to  tell 
what  he  knew  about  the  red  ears  at  the  husking, 
he  might  have  said  to  Cynthia :  — 

"I  wonder  if  I  ever  told  you  about  those  red  ears. 
Sally  told  me  the  next  day.  She  said,  '  Was  n't  Cynthia 
Rudd  mad  because  I  found  all  those  ears  that  night? 
And  she  never  guessed  that  I  was  digging  up  the  same 
old  ear  and  pretending  every  time  that  I  had  found  an- 
other !  '     That  was  kind  o'  mean,  I  think." 

In  this  case  what  Sally  told  John  is  a  quotation 
within  a  quotation,  and  it  is  inclosed  by  single 
marks  of  quotation  instead  of  the  double  marks. 

Single  marks  of  quotation  (*  ')  are  used  to  inclose 
a  quotation  within  a  quotation. 

The  same  marks  of  punctuation  are  required  for 
the  inclosed  quotation  as  for  any  direct  quotation. 


20  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Exercise. 

Rewrite  the  sentences  taken  from  the  "  Sketch 
Book  "  so  that  you  will  have  a  quotation  within  a 
quotation.  To  do  this,  it  will  be  necessary  to  make 
an  introduction  to  each  of  the  quotations.  Taking 
the  first  sentence,  put  before  it  some  such  words 
as  these :  Washington  Irving,  in  the  "  Legend  of 
Sleepy  Hollow/'  says. 

Then  the  sentence  will  read  and  be  punctuated 
as  follows :  — 

Washington  Irving,  in  the  "  Legend  of  Sleepy 
Hollow,"  says:  ^^He  had  overheard  a  boast  of 
Bones,  that  he  would  '  double  the  schoolmaster 
up,  and  lay  him  on  a  shelf  of  his  own  school- 
house.'  "  Or  it  might  be  written  this  way.  Irving 
imderstood  a  boy's  bragging  when  he  wrote :  "  He 
had  overheard  a  boast  of  Bones,  that  he  would 
'  double  the  schoolmaster  vip,  and  lay  him  on  a 
shelf  of  his  own  schoolhouse.'  "  By  making  an 
introduction  to  each  sentence,  what  was  a  quota- 
tion before  becomes  a  quotation  within  a  quotation 
and  requires  the  single  marks.  It  may  be  of  assist- 
ance to  you  in  rewriting  these  to  know  what  each 
of  them  is  from.  The  first  and  second  are  from 
the  "  Legend  of  Sleepy  Hollow "  ;  the  third  and 
fourth  are  from  "  The  Angler  "  ;  the  fifth  is  from 
^^Westminster  Abbey";  the  sixth  from  the  in- 
troduction to  "Rip  Van  Winkle";  the  seventh 
from  "  Stratford  on  Avon  " ;  and  the  eighth  is  from 
^^A  Royal  Poet." 


QUOTATION  MARKS  21 

One  more  rule  for  the  use  of  quotation  marks, 
examples  of  which  you  have  seen  very  frequently, 
should  be  learned. 

The  names  of  books  and  the  titles  of  selections  are 
usually  inclosed  by  quotation  marks.  The  first  word 
and  each  important  word  of  a  title  begins  with  a  capi- 
tal letter. 


.   CHAPTER  II. 

PARAGRAPHS. 

In  the  chapter  just  finished  it  has  been  said  that 
the  words  spoken  by  one  person  form  one  para- 
graph, and  those  spoken  by  another  make  another 
paragraph.  Turning  back  to  the  first  page  of  the 
book,  tell  who  spoke  in  the  first  paragraph ;  in 
the  third ;   the  fourth  ;  the  fifth. 

The  second  paragraph  contains  no  conversation. 
It  gives  some  thoughts  by  the  author  of  the  story. 
Whenever  a  person  frames  a  few  sentences  about 
one  topic  he  has  composed  a  paragraph.  It  may 
contain  conversation,  or  it  may  not.  Stories  have 
many  paragraphs  of  conversation ;  but  our  histo- 
ries and  geographies  contain  but  little  conversation. 
Yet  in  books  of  information  as  well  as  stories  there 
are  paragraphs. 

A  paragraph  is  a  group  of  related  sentences,  or 
soraetimes  a  single  sentence,  treating  a  single  topic. 

Below  are  several  examples  of  good  para- 
graphs :  — 

A  Saranac  boat  is  one  of  the  finest  things  that  the  skill, 
of  man  has  ever  produced  under  the  inspiration  of  the 
wiklerness.     It  is  a  frail  shell,  so  light  that  a  guide  can 


PARAGRAPHS  23 

carry  it  on  his  shoulders  with  ease,  but  so  dexterously 
fashioned  that  it  rides  the  heaviest  waves  like  a  duck,  and 
slips  through  the  water  as  if  by  magic.  You  can  travel  in 
it  along  the  shallowest  rivers  and  across  the  broadest 
lakes,  and  make  forty  or  fifty  miles  a  day,  if  you  have  a 
good  guide.  Van  Dyke,  from  Little  Eivers. 

It  was  interesting  to  see  how  closely  the  guides  could 
guess  at  the  weight  of  the  fish  by  looking  at  them.  The 
ouananiche  are  much  longer  in  proportion  to  their  weight 
than  trout,  and  a  novice  almost  always  over-estimates 
them.  But  the  guides  were  not  deceived.  "  This  one 
will  weigh  four  pounds  and  three  quarters,  and  this  one 
four  pounds,  but  that  one  not  more  than  three  pounds ;  he 
is  meagre,  m'sieu',  but  he  is  meagre."  When  we  went 
ashore  and  tried  the  spring-balance  (which  every  angler 
ought  to  carry  with  him,  as  an  aid  to  his  conscience)  the 
guides'  guess  usually  proved  to  be  within  an  ounce  or  two 
of  the  fact.  Any  one  of  the  senses  can  be  educated  to  do 
the  work  of  the  others.  The  eyes  of  these  experienced 
fishermen  were  as  sensitive  to  weight  as  if  they  had  been 

made  to  use  as  scales.  Van  Dyke,  from  Little  Eivers. 

There  never  was  a  wilder  rout.  As  soon  as  the  men 
began  to  run,  and  realized  that  in  flight  there  lay  some 
hope  of  safety,  they  broke  into  a  stampede  which  soon 
became  uncontrollable.  Horses,  soldiers,  and  the  few  camp 
followers  and  women  who  had  accompanied  the  army  were 
all  mixed  together.  Neither  command  nor  example  had 
the  slightest  weight ;  the  men  were  abandoned  to  the 
terrible  selfishness  of  utter  fear.  They  threw  away  their 
weapons  as  they  ran.  They  thought  of  nothing  but  escape, 
and  fled  in  a  huddle,  the  stronger  and  the  few  who  had 
horses  trampling  their  way  to  the  front  through  the  old, 


24  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

the  weak,  and  the  wounded ;  while  behind  them  raged  the 
Indian  tomahawk.  Fortunately  the  attraction  of  plunder- 
ing the  camp  was  so  overpowering  that  the  savages  only 
followed  the  army  about  four  miles ;  otherwise  hardly  a 
man  would  have  escaped. 

Roosevelt,  from  The  Winning  of  the  West. 

The  well-being  of  Virginia  society  was  further  protected 
by  sundry  statutes  such  as  the  one  which  punished  pro- 
fane swearing  by  a  fine  of  one  shilling  per  oath.  "  For 
the  better  observation  of  the  Sabbath  "  it  was  enacted  that 
no  person  "  shall  take  a  voyage  upon  the  same,  except  it 
be  to  church  or  for  other  causes  of  extreme  necessity,"  under 
penalty  of  forfeiting  twenty  pounds  of  tobacco  for  each 
offense.  A  similar  fine  was  imposed  for  firing  a  gun  upon 
Sunday,  unless  it  might  be  for  defense  against  the  Indians. 
Selling  arms  or  ammunition  to  the  Indians  was  punished 
by  imprisonment  for  life,  with  confiscation  of  goods. 
Every  master  of  a  family  was  required,  under  penalty  of 
ten  pounds  of  tobacco,  to  bring  with  him  to  Church  every 
Sunday  a  serviceable  gun  with  plenty  of  powder  and  shot. 

FiSKE,  from  Old  Virginia  and  Her  Neighbours. 

The  largest,  the  most  populous,  and  in  every  way  the 
most  advanced  is  Dakota  (now  forming  itself  into  the 
states  of  North  Dakota  and  South  Dakota)  which  lies  west 
of  Minnesota,  and  south  of  the  Canadian  province  of 
Manitoba.  Its  area  is  147,700  square  miles,  greater  than 
that  of  Prussia  and  much  greater  than  that  of  the  United 
Kingdom  (120,500  square  miles).  Its  eastern  and  south- 
ern parts  are  becoming  rapidly  filled  by  an  intelligent 
farming  population,  largely  Scandinavian  in  blood.  Pos- 
sessing a  vast  area  of  undulating  prairie  land,  well  fitted 
for  wheat  crops,  and  at  least  the  eastern  part  of  which 


PARAGRAPHS  25 

receives  enough  rain  to  make  tillage  easy  without  irriga- 
tion, the  two  Dakotas  are  evidently  destined  to  be  among 
the  wealthiest  and  most  powerful  commonwealths  in  the 

Union.  Bryce,  from  The  American  Commonwealth. 

Each  of  the  paragraphs  quoted  above  is  about 
one  topic.  All  the  sentences  in  each  paragraph  are 
closely  related  to  each  other ;  and  all  of  them  help 
to  make  the  topic  clear. 

The  sentence  in  a  paragraph  that  announces  the 
topic  is  called  the  topic  sentence. 

The  subject  of  the  first  paragraph  is  a  Saranac 
boat ;  and  the  topic  sentence  is  :  — 

A  Saranac  boat  is  one  of  the  finest  things  that  the  skill 
of  man  has  ever  produced  under  the  inspiration  of  the 
wilderness. 

What  is  the  subject  of  the  second  paragraph  ? 
What  is  the  topic  sentence  ?  What  is  each  of  the 
other  paragraphs  about?  Find  the  topic  sentence 
of  each. 

(Note  to  the  Teacher.  —  In  the  reading  lessons  for  which  the 
pupils  have  made  preparation,  have  them  always  name  the  subject  of 
the  paragraph,  — tell  what  the  paragraph  is  about.  If  it  has  one  sen- 
tence which  contains  the  topic  clearly  announced,  have  them  give  the 
topic  sentence.  This  should  always  be  done  before  the  oral  reading  in 
the  class.  Moreover,  all  the  discussion  of  the  reading  lesson  should 
precede  the  reading.  In  this  way  you  learn  whether  the  lesson  has  been 
prepared  carefully  before  class  time.  If  the  discussion  precedes  the 
oral  reading  and  all  difficulties  are  explained,  the  pupil  will  have  a 
clear  understanding  of  the  thought.  Only  when  the  thought  is  clear 
to  the  reader,  will  he  be  able  to  give  good  oral  expression.) 


26  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Exercise. 

Write  a  paragraph  upon  the  room  in  which  you 
study^  or  about  the  study  you  believe  the  most 
useful  to  you.  The  following  topic  sentences  may 
help  you. 

1.  The  room  in  which  I  study  my  lessons  is  not  just 
what  I  would  have. 

2.  The  room  in  which  I  study  my  lessons  was  certainly 
made  on  purpose  for  me. 

3.  Arithmetic  seems  to  me  the  most  useful  of  my  studies. 

4.  Language,  including  reading,  writing,  and  composi- 
tion, seems  to  me  the  most  useful  of  my  studies. 

If  you  choose  the  first  topic  sentence,  you  should 
tell  what  there  is  about  the  room  that  makes  it  a 
hard  place  to  study  in.  If  the  second,  only  those 
details  should  be  mentioned  which  add  to  its  com- 
fort, and  make  it  an  ideal  place  for  study. 

Composition  Exercise. 
In  her  journey  from  Vienna  to  Paris,  the  queen, 
Marie  Antoinette,  passed  through  the  village  in 
which  Marc  and  Robin  lived.  She  heard  how 
poor  they  were,  and  expressed  a  wish  to  see  them. 
Describe  their  home.  Use  two  paragraphs,  —  the 
first  telling  how  the  home  looked  outside,  and  the 
next  how  it  looked  on  the  inside.  The  topic  sen- 
tence of  the  first  paragraph  may  read :  — 

When  the  queen  arrived  before  the  home  of  Marie,  she 
was  astounded  to  learn  that  people  lived  in  such  a . 


PARAGRAPHS  27 

Of  the  second  :  — 

Lifting  her  rich  silk  skirts,  she  put  her  dainty  foot  over 
the  log  that  served  as  a  threshold ;  and  such  poverty  and 
suffering  as  she  saw  there  she  had  never  dreamed  of. 

Was  the  house  made  of  stone,  or  logs  ?  How 
high  was  it  ?  Was  it  painted  ?  or  were  there  vines 
climbing  over  it  ?  What  did  the  queen  see  in  the 
door-yard  ?  Imagine  a  clear  picture  of  the  home, 
and  use  those  features  in  your  description  which 
tell  you  that  it  is  the  home  of  very  poor  people. 

Going  inside  now,  how  many  rooms  were  there  ? 
Where  were  the  windows?  What  was  the  floor? 
Were  there  chairs  ?  a  table  ?  Was  there  a  cloth 
on  the  table  ?  Did  she  see  a  stove  ?  a  chimney  ? 
Select  those  details  that  make  the  reader  think  of 
poverty. 

These  words  may  help  you :  hitt^  cottage^  hovel, 
shed,  flat,  low,  squatty,  thatched,  weather-beaten, 
smoky,  beams,  rafters,  ceiling,  fire-place,  benches, 
stools,  kettle,  bowls. 

THE  FISHERMAN  AND  THE  GENIE. 

1.  There  was  once  an  old  Fisherman  who  was  very  poor. 
He  could  hardly  keep  himself,  his  wife,  and  his  three  chil- 
dren from  starving.  Every  morning  he  went  out  early  to 
fish,  hut  he  had  made  it  a  rule  never  to  cast  his  net  more 
than  four  times  a  day. 

2.  One  day  he  went  to  the  seashore  before  it  was  light. 
He  cast  his  net,  and  then,  when  he  thought  it  time,  he 
drew  it  in  to  the  shore.  It  was  very  heavy,  and  he  was 
sure  he  had  a  good  draught  of  fishes.     But  no  !  he  pulled 


28  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

hard,  and  when  he  had  his  net  on  the  beach  he  found  he 
had  dragged  in  a  dead  ass. 

3.  He  cast  it  a  second  time,  and  again  he  waited.  Then 
he  slowly  drew  it  in,  for  it  was  very  heavy.  This  time  his 
hopes  rose  ;  but  when  the  net  came  ashore  he  found  it 
held  only  an  old  basket  filled  with  sand  and  mud. 

4.  Once  more  he  threw  his  net.  The  third  time  never 
fails,  he  thought.  Again  the  net  came  slowly  ashore.  But 
when  he  opened  it,  there  was  nothing  but  stones,  shells, 
and  sea-weed.  The  poor  man  was  sore  distressed.  It 
looked  as  if  he  should  have  nothing  to  take  home  to  his 
wife  and  children. 

5.  It  was  now  dawn,  and  he  stopped  to  say  his  prayers, 
for  in  the  East  pious  men  say  their  prayers  five  times  a 
day.  And  after  he  had  said  his  prayers  he  cast  his  net 
for  the  fourth  and  last  time.  When  he  had  waited  long 
enough,  he  drew  the  net  in,  and  saw  that  it  was  very 
heavy. 

6.  There  was  not  a  fish  in  the  net.  Instead  the  Fisher- 
man drew  out  a  copper  jar.  He  set  it  up,  and  the  mouth 
of  the  jar  was  covered  with  a  lid  which  was  sealed  with 
lead.     He  shook  the  jar,  but  could  hear  nothing. 

7.  "At  any  rate,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  I  can  sell  this 
to  a  coppersmith  and  get  some  money  for  it."  But  first, 
though  it  seemed  empty,  he  thought  he  would  open  it.  So 
he  took  his  knife  and  cut  away  the  lead.  Then  he  took 
the  lid  off.  But  he  could  see  nothing  inside.  He  turned 
the  jar  upside  down,  and  tapped  it  on  the  bottom,  but 
nothing  came  out.  He  set  the  jar  upright  again,  and  sat 
and  looked  at  it. 

8.  Soon  he  saw  a  light  smoke  come  slowly  forth.  The 
smoke  grew  heavier  and  thicker,  so  that  he  had  to  step 
back  a  few  paces.  It  rose  and  spread  till  it  shut  every- 
thing out  like  a  great  fog.     At  last  it  had  wholly  left  the 


PARAGRAPHS  29 

jar  and  had  risen  into  the  sky.  Then  it  gathered  itself 
together  into  a  solid  mass,  and  there,  before  the  Fisher- 
man, stood  a  great  giant  of  a  Genie. 

9.  "  Get  down  on  your  knees,"  said  the  Genie  to  the 
Fisherman,  "  fo^  I  am  going  to  kill  you." 

10.  "  And  why  do  you  kill  me  ?  Did  I  not  set  you  free 
from  the  jar?  " 

11.  "  That  is  the  very  reason  I  mean  to  kill  you  ;  but  I 
will  grant  you  one  favor." 

12.  "  And  what  is  that  ?  "  asked  the  Fisherman. 

13.  "  I  will  let  you  choose  the  manner  of  your  death. 
Listen,  and  I  will  tell  you  my  story.  I  was  one  of  the 
spirits  of  heaven.  The  great  and  wise  Solomon  bade  me 
obey  his  laws.  I  was  angry  and  would  not.  So,  to  pun- 
ish me,  he  shut  me  up  in  a  copper  jar  and  sealed  it  with 
lead.  Then  he  gave  the  jar  to  a  Genie  who  obeyed  him, 
and  bade  him  cast  it  into  the  sea. 

14.  "  During  the  first  hundred  years  that  I  lay  on  the 
floor  of  the  sea,  I  made  a  promise  that  if  any  one  set  me 
free  I  would  make  him  very  rich.  But  no  one  came  to 
set  me  free.  During  the  second  hundred  years  I  made  a 
promise  that  if  any  one  set  me  free  I  would  show  him  all 
the  treasures  of  the  earth.  But  no  one  came  to  set  me 
free.  During  the  third  hundred  years,  I  made  a  promise 
that  if  any  one  came  to  set  me  free  I  would  make  him 
king  over  all  the  earth,  and  grant  him  every  day  any  three 
things  he  might  ask. 

15.  "  Still  no  one  came.  Then  I  became  very  angry, 
and  as  hundreds  of  years  went  by,  and  I  still  lay  in  the 
jar  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  I  swore  a  great  oath  that  now 
if  any  one  should  set  me  free  I  would  at  once  kill  him, 
and  that  the  only  favor  I  would  grant  him  would  be  to 
let  him  choose  his  manner  of  death.  So  now  you  have 
come  and  have  set  me  free.  You  must  die,  but  I  will 
let  you  say  how  you  shall  die." 


30  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

16.  The  Fisherman  was  in  great  grief.  He  did  not 
care  so  much  for  himself,  for  he  was  old  and  poor,  but  he 
thought  of  his  wife  and  children,  who  would  be  left  to 
starve. 

17.  "  Alas !  "  he  cried.  "  Have  pity  on  me.  If  it  had 
not  been  for  me  you  would  not  be  free." 

18.  "  Make  haste  I "  said  the  Genie.  "  Tell  me  how 
you  wish  to  die." 

19.  When  one  is  in  such  great  peril  his  wits  fly  fast, 
and  sometimes  they  fly  into  safety.     The  fisherman  said  ; 

20.  "  Since  I  must  die,  I  must.  But  before  I  die,  an- 
swer me  one  question." 

21.  "  Ask  what  you  will,  but  make  haste." 

22.  "  Dare  you,  then,  swear  that  you  really  were  in  the 
jar  ?  It  is  so  small,  and  you  are  so  vast,  that  the  great 
toe  of  one  of  your  feet  could  not  be  held  in  it." 

23.  "  Verily  I  was  in  the  jar.  I  swear  it.  Do  you  not 
believe  it  ?  " 

24.  "  No,  not  until  I  see  you  in  the  jar." 

25.  At  that  the  Genie,  to  prove  it,  changed  again  into 
smoke.  The  great  cloud  hung  over  the  earth,  and  one 
end  of  it  entered  the  jar.  Slowly  the  cloud  descended 
until  the  sky  was  clear,  and  the  last  tip  of  the  cloud  was 
in  the  jar.  As  soon  as  this  was  done  the  Fisherman 
clapped  the  lid  on  again,  and  the  Genie  was  shut  up 

inside.  From  The  Arabian  Nights. 

In  this  story  from  '^  The  Arabian  Nights/'  the 
first  paragraph  is  about  the  condition  of  the  poor 
Fisherman.  There  is  no  one  sentence,  however, 
that  states  the  topic  of  the  paragraph.  The  topic 
might  be  stated  this  way :  The  poor  Fisherman 
of  our  story  fished  every  day.     The  second  para- 


PARAGRAPHS  31 

graph  has  no  topic  sentence.  The  subject  is  The 
First  Draught ;  and  the  topic  might  be  stated  as 
follows:  His  first  draught  dragged  in  a  dead  ass. 
So  J  too,  if  you  look  through  the  whole  selection, 
you  will  find  that  no  paragraph  has  a  topic  sen- 
tence :  this  is  usually  the  case  in  stories.  But  you 
will  find  that  every  paragraph  has  a  topic  or  a  sub- 
ject ;  and  that  you  can  make  a  topic  sentence  for 
each. 

What  is  the  subject  of  paragraph  3  ?  State  a 
topic  sentence  for  it.  What  are  the  subjects  of 
paragraphs  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  13,  14,  15,  and  16? 
Form  topic  sentences  for  each  of  these  paragraphs. 

Notice  the  punctuation  of  paragraphs  13,  14,  and 
15.  Make  a  rule  for  use  of  quotation  marks  when 
a  series  of  paragraphs  spoken  by  the  same  person 
succeed  each  other. 

Exercise. 
In  "  The  Fisherman  and  the   Genie,"   account 
for  the  use  of  the  commas,  semicolons,  colons,  and 
quotation  marks,  as  far  as  you  have  learned  the 
rules  for  them. 

Composition  Exercise. 
Suppose  that  the  story  of  "  The  Fisherman  and 
the  Genie  "  had  been  written  only  through  para- 
graph 8,  and  that  you  had  to  make  up  what  hap- 
pened after  the  smoke  changed  into  the  Genie. 
Finish  the  story  in  some  other  way.  Remember 
that  the  story  is  full  of  things  that  could  not  really 


32  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

happen.  Keep  it  this  way.  It  would  spoil  it  to 
make  it  a  true  story  at  the  end. 

Or  write  what  you  think  Marc  and  Robin  did 
and  said  after  the  queen  had  gone  away. 

Or  write  a  paragraph  telling  why  you  like  or 
dislike  stories  such  as  the  one  from  "  The  Arabian 
Nights."  Have  a  topic  sentence  which  states  your 
opinion  of  them. 

'WORD   STUDY. 
Principal  Parts  of  Verbs. 

Many  verbs  have  three  different  forms.  If  one 
speaks  of  the  present  time,  he  uses  one  form ;  if 
of  the  past,  he  uses  another  form ;  and  if  he  uses 
"have/'  ^^has/'  ^' am/'  ^^  is/'  ^^  are/'  ^^  was/'  or 
^^were"  with  a  verb,  he  must  frequently  use  a 
third  form.  For  example,  he  may  say,  "I  see/' 
"  he  sees,"  "  you  saw,"  "  they  have  seen."  And 
it  would  be  entirely  wrong  to  say  "I  seen,"  "they 
have  saw/'  or  "he  has  saw."  These  three  forms 
of  a  verb  are  called  the  principal  parts,  because 
with  these  three  forms  all  the  other  forms  of  the 
verb  can  be  made. 

Below  are  given  the  principal  parts  of  seven 
verbs.  Learn  them.  Write  three  sentences  hav- 
ing the  first  form  ;  three  having  the  second  form ; 
and  four  having  the  third  form. 


see 

saw 

seen 

go 
drive 

went 
drove 

gone 
driven 

do 

did 

done 

PARAGRAPHS 

eat 

ate 

eaten 

begin 

began 

begun 

come 

came 

come 

33 


WOKD   STUDY. 

In  this  lesson  are  several  groups  of  words  which 
are  much  alike  in  meaning.  Yet  these  words  can- 
not be  used  one  for  the  other  in  all  places.  For 
instance,  one  may  say  "  a  grand  parade/'  but  not 
"  a  grand  streamer."  So,  too,  he  may  say  "  a 
splendid  banner,"  but  not  "  a  splendid  company  of 
men."  Of  all  these  words,  "  splendid  "  is  the  most 
often  used  incorrectly.  Be  very  sure  you  know 
what  it  means ;  then  use  it  only  when  the  thought 
calls  for  it. 

Write  ten  sentences,  of  which  three  shall  use 
words  in  the  first  group ;  three,  words  from  the 
second  ;  and  four,  words  from  the  fifth. 


1 
moved 

2 

grand 

3 

vehicle 

advanced 

gorgeous 

equipage 

proceeded 

splendid 

carriage 

marched 

brilliant 

brougham 

walked 

gay 

phaeton 

4 

squad 

5 

banner 

6 

parade 

company 

flag 

procession 

platoon 

pennon 

cavalcade 

body 

pennant 

review 

division 

streamer 

From  dictionaries  learn  what  each  of  these 
words  means.  Write  twelve  sentences,  each  con- 
taining two  words  from  different  columns. 


34  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Exercise, 
Insert  words  taken  from  list  above  in  the  blanks. 

1.  The  funeral slowly  by. 

2.  One  hundred  men  make  a of  the  army. 

3.  The  autumn  sunset  was . 

4.  The  battle was  torn  with  bullets. 

5.  Mountain  scenery  is . 

6.  A party  of  young  people  came  here. 

7.  The  garden  flowers  were with  blue  and  scarlet. 

8.  The  troops  in  before  the  generals,  and 

made  a appearance. 

9.  Conversation  at  table  was  witty  and . 

10.  A  large of  strikers  had  gathered. 

Composition  Exercise. 

Describe  a  parade.  There  was  a  friend  in  it, 
whose  arrival  you  awaited  with  great  interest. 
Before  you  saw  him,  three  other  little  incidents 
took  your  attention.  These  three  incidents  should 
occupy  three  short  paragraphs.  At  last  your 
friend  appeared.  This  makes  the  most  important 
paragraph. 

FOR   MEMORIZING. 

Sweet  Auburn !  loveliest  village  of  the*  plain, 

Where  health  and  plenty  cheer'd  the  laboring  swain, 

Where  smiling  spring  its  earliest  visit  paid, 

And  parting  summer's  lingering  blooms  delay'd : 

Dear  lovely  bowers  of  innocence  and  ease, 

Seats  of  my  youth,  when  every  sport  could  please ! 

How  often  have  I  loiter'd  o'er  thy  green, 

Where  humble  happiness  endear'd  each  scene ! 

How  often  have  I  paus'd  on  every  charm. 

The  shelter'd  cot,  the  cultivated  farm, 


PARAGRAPHS  35 

The  never-failing  brook,  the  busy  mill, 
The  decent  church  that  topt  the  neighboring  hill, 
The  hawthorn  bush,  with  seats  beneath  the  shade, 
For  talking  age  and  whispering  lovers  made  ! 
How  often  have  I  blest  the  coming  day. 
When  toil  remitting  lent  its  turn  to  play. 
And  all  the  village  train,  from  labor  free. 
Led  up  their  sports  beneath  the  spreading  tree ; 
While  many  a  pastime  circled  in  the  shade. 
The  young  contending  as  the  old  survey'd ; 
And  many  a  gambol  frolick'd  o'er  the  ground. 
And  sleights  of  art  and  feats  of  strength  went  round ; 
And  still,  as  each  repeated  pleasure  tir'd, 
Succeeding  sports  the  mirthful  band  inspir'd ; 
The  dancing  pair  that  simply  sought  renown. 
By  holding  out,  to  tire  each  other  down  ; 
The  swain  mistrustless  of  his  smutted  face, 
While  secret  laughter  titter'd  round  the  place ; 
The  bashful  virgin's  sidelong  looks  of  love. 
The  matron's  glance  that  would  those  looks  reprove : 
These  were  thy  charms,  sweet  village !  sports  like  these, 
With  sweet  succession,  taught  e'en  toil  to  please ; 
These  round  thy  bowers  their  cheerful  influence  shed. 
These  were  thy  charms,  —  but  all  these  charms  are  fled. 
Goldsmith,  from  The  Deserted  Village. 

This  stanza  might  easily  be  divided  into  two 
stanzas,  at  the  line  ending  vvrith  the  words,  "  and 
whispering  lovers  made."  What  would  then  be 
the  subject  of  the  first  paragraph?  of  the  second? 
Write  a  topic  sentence  for  each  stanza. 

Be  sure  you  know  the  meanings  of  the  follow- 
ing words :  swain,  seats,  loiter' d,  green,  decent^ 
topt,  remitting,  traiii,  contending,  gambol,  sleight, 


36  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

mistrustless,   reprove,    bowers,   circled,   surveyed, 
feats,  mspired,  renowned. 

From  the  whole  do  you  get  the  impression  that 
the  people  were  happy  ?  Do  you  think  that  they 
were  rich?  How  could  they  be  happy,  then? 
Would  you  be  happy  if  you  knew  that  no  one  had 
more  than  you  ?  Farther  on  in  the  poem  there 
are  these  two  lines :  — 

"  His  best  companions,  innocence  and  health ; 
And  his  best  riches,  ignorance  of  wealth." 

In  these  verses  Goldsmith  has  given  us  just  a 
glimpse  of  his  childhood  home.  Where  was  the 
church  ?  Where  was  the  mill  ?  Did  this  brook 
turn  the  mill?  Were  there  fish  in  the  brook? 
Where  was  the  village  green  ?  Were  there  any 
stores  there  ?  Was  there  a  schoolhouse  ?  a  black- 
smith shop  ?  Was  there  a  railroad  entering  the 
village  ?  Will  you  tell  the  way  the  village  looks 
to  you?  Can  you  make  a  sketch,  showing  the 
church,  the  stream,  and  the  houses  at  the  bottom 
of  the  hill? 

In  the  second  part  of  the  stanza,  the  people  have 
taken  a  holiday  ;  instead  of  toiling  they  have  given 
themselves  up  to  play.  Did  they  take  a  train  to 
the  country  to  have  their  picnic  ?  What  were 
some  of  the  gambols  of  this  party  ?  What  "  sleights 
of  art  and  feats  of  strength"  were  tried?  Did 
you  ever  see  a  boy  and  girl  dance  to  see  which 
could  tire  the  other  out  ?  Did  the  people  have  on 
fine  clothes  ?   Did  they  enjoy  themselves  ?   Would 


PARAGRAPHS  37 

they  enjoy  a  picnic  every  day?     Do  you  think 
toil  can  be  taught  to  please  ? 

Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  description  of  a  picnic  in  the  country. 
Or  write  a  description  of  a  little  country  village. 

WORD   STUDY. 

Study  the  following  words.  In  the  exercise  be- 
low there  are  thirteen  words  and  thirteen  blanks. 
Each  word  is  to  be  used  but  once.  Care  will  be 
necessary  to  use  each  word,  and  to  use  it  in  the 
right  place. 


cruel 

poor 

suffer 

want 

distressing 

f         wretched 

endure 

need 

painful 

miserable 

submit 

poverty 
scarcity 

1.  The  sight  of is  always . 

2.  There  was  a  of  potatoes  in  Ireland,  and  the 

peasants the  hardships  of  famine. 

3.  The convicts  must to  the torture  of 

a  heartless  jailer. 

4.  The wretches from  the of  sympathy 

and  kindness. 

5.  To  be  known  to  be  in is . 


WORD   STUDY. 
Double  Negatives. 


Such  expressions  as  the  following  may  often  be 
heard  spoken,  though  they  are  not  so  frequently 
seen  written :  — 


38  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

^^It  don't  do  no  good;"  ^  There  wasn't  no- 
body there  ;  "  ^^  I  have  n't  seen  him  nowheres." 

All  these  sentences  are  wrong ;  the  fault  is  in 
the  use  of  two  negatives.  In  the  first  sentence, 
the  boy  wished  to  say  that  it  did  no  good ;  but 
instead,  by  the  use  of  two  negatives,  he  has  really 
said  that  it  did  good.  In  the  second  sentence,  to 
deny  that  there  was  nobody  there  is  just  the  same 
as  affirming  that  there  was  somebody  there.  In 
all  cases  the  use  of  two  negatives  too-ether  in  a 
sentence  results,  not  in  a  negative,  but  in  an 
affirmative. 

"  Neither,"  "  scarcely,"  "  hardly,"  and  all  such 
words  have  the  same  effect  as  a  negative.  ''  I 
don't  hardly  think  I  shall "  is  used  when  the  per- 
son means,  "  I  hardly  think  I  shall."  ''  Neither  of 
them  can't  go  "  is  the  form  of  expression  adopted 
by  some  persons  for  "  Neither  of  them  can  go-'' 

Exercise. 
As  these  errors  are  more  often  made  in  speech 
than  in  written  composition,  the  sentences  below 
should  be  read  aloud  many  times  during  the  next 
two  weeks,  that  the  correct  sounds  may  become 
familiar  to  each  of  the  pupils. 

It  does  no  good.  He  has  learned  nothing.  He  has  not 
learned  anything  about  it.  I  don't  intend  to  go  anywhere. 
I  think  I  shall  go  nowhere.  I  have  seen  him  at  no  time 
to-day.  I  have  not  seen  him  at  any  time  to-day.  He 
doesn't  study  his  lesson.     Neither  does  she  study  her 


PARAGRAPHS  39 

lesson.     I  have  such  a  headache  that  I  can  hardly  think. 
He  can  scarcely  enter  the  high  school.^ 

What  incorrect  form  have  you  ever  heard  in 
place  of  each  of  these  sentences  ? 

Composition  Exercise, 
One  cannot  conceive   the  wretched   condition  of   the 
peasants  in  France  a  hundred  years  ago ;  or  one  cannot 
conceive  the  wretched  condition  of  the  poor  people  who 
live  in  some  districts  of  our  great  cities. 

Upon  this  general  topic  sentence,  write  three 
paragraphs :  one  upon  the  homes  in  which  these 
people  live ;  one  upon  the  food  and  clothing ;  and 
the  third  upon  the  ways  in  which  they  get  their 
living,  and  what  amusements  they  have. 

TOPIC  SENTENCES. 

If  the  reading  lessons  have  been  watched  care- 
fully for  the  topic  sentences  during  the  last  two 
weeks,  the  usual  position  of  this  sentence  in  the 
paragraph  has  been  determined.  It  has  been  found 
that  it  may  stand  almost  anywhere ;  but  it  gener- 
ally stands  near  the  beginning  of  the  paragraph. 
There  is  a  good  reason  for  this.  When  one  listens 
to  another  speaking,  he  likes  to  know  in  the  be- 
ginning what  the  other  person  is  talking  about. 
If  he  does  not,  he  does  not  know  just  what  the 
speaker  is  trying  to  say ;  and  he  often  finds  him- 

1  It  would  be  well  if  the  teacher  should  place  upon  the  board  lists 
of  similar  sentences  and  use  them  frequently  to  train  the  ear. 


40  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

self  asking,  "  What  are  you  talking  about,  any- 
way?" This  is  exactly  the  case  when  one  is 
reading.  He  wishes  to  know  at  once  what  he  is 
reading  about,  and  then  all  that  he  reads  he  un- 
derstands better.  It  is  for  this  reason  that  the 
topic  sentence  generally  stands  near  the  heginning 
of  the  paragraph. 

The  taste  of  it  wakes  her 

up  as  few  other  things  do,  and  bars  and  fences  must  be  well 
looked  after.  No  need  to,  assort  them  or  pick  out  the  ripe 
ones  for  her.  An  apple  is  an  apple,  and  there  is  no  best 
about  it.  I  heard  of  a  quick-witted  old  cow  that  learned  to 
shake  them  down  from  the  tree.  While  rubbing  herself  she 
had  observed  that  an  apple  sometimes  fell.  This  stimu- 
lated her  to  rub  a  little  harder,  when  more  apples  fell.  She 
then  took  the  hint  and  rubbed  her  shoulder  with  such  vigor 
that  the  farmer  had  to  check  her  and  keep  an  eye  on  her 
to  save  his  fruit.  Burroughs,  from  Winter  Sunshine. 

The  first  sentence  has  been  omitted.  It  is  the 
topic  sentence.  What  does  the  word  "her"  refer 
to  in  the  first  sentence  ?  What  does  the  remain- 
der of  the  paragraph  tell  you  about  the  cow  ?  The 
topic  sentence  that  has  been  omitted  might  be  :  — 

A  cow  loves  apples. 
Every  cow  is  fond  of  apples. 

All  the  domestic  animals  love  the  apple,  but  none  so 
much  as  the  cow. 

Burroughs  used  the  last  sentence. 

Supply  topic  sentences  for  the  following  para- 
graphs. The  first  thing  to  consider  is  the  subject 
of  the  paragraph ;  and  then  what  is  the  thing  that 


PARAGRAPHS  41 

the  paragraph  says  about  the  subject.  This  should 
be  put  into  one  sentence,  and  such  a  sentence  will 
be  a  good  topic  sentence. 

; They  cannot  be  too  gnarly 


and  crabbed  and  rusty  to  look  at.  The  gnarliest  will  have 
some  redeeming  traits  even  to  the  eye.  You  will  discover 
some  evening  redness  dashed  or  sprinkled  on  some  protu- 
berance or  in  some  cavity.  It  is  rare  that  the  summer  lets 
an  apple  go  without  streaking  or  spotting  it  on  some  part 
of  its  sphere.  It  will  have  some  red  stains  commemorating 
the  mornings  and  evenings  it  has  witnessed ;  some  dark  and 
rusty  blotches,  in  memory  of  the  clouds  and  foggy,  mildewy 
days  that  have  passed  over  it ;  and  a  spacious  field  of  green 
reflecting  the  general  face  of  Nature,  —  green  even  as  the 
fields ;  or  a  yellow  ground,  which  implies  a  milder  flavor, 
—  yellow  as  the  harvest  or  russet  as  the  hills. 

Thoreau,  from  Wild  Apples. 
There  is  hardly  any  furni- 


ture. The  people  squat  on  the  floor  on  their  heels.  We 
look  in  vain  for  sofas  or  beds.  The  Siamese  sleep  on  the 
floor,  and  as  for  pillows,  these  are  merely  wooden  blocks 
or  bundles  of  stuffed  cotton  about  as  large  as  a  brick  and 
almost  as  hard.  The  cooking  is  done  on  little  fires  of  char- 
coal which  burn  in  boxes  filled  with  ashes.  There  are  no 
stoves,  and  the  houses  have  no  chimneys.  The  windows  are 
merely  open  holes,  and  there  is  not  a  pane  of  window  glass,  I 
venture,  in  this  great  floating  city.        Carpenter,  from  Asia. 

Dyspepsia,  for  instance, 


from  which  so  many  suffer,  is  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  their 
own  fault,  and  arises  from  the  combination  of  too  much 
food  with  too  little  exercise.  To  lengthen  your  life,  says 
an  old  proverb,  shorten  your  meals.    Plain  living  and  high 


42  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

thinking  will  secure  health  for  most  of  us,  though  it  mat- 
ters, perhaps,  comparatively  little,  what  a  healthy  man 
eats,  so  long  as  he  does  not  eat  too  much. 

Lubbock,  from  The  Pleasures  of  Life, 

We  all  know  how  quickly 

the  time  passes  when  we  are  well  employed,  while  the  mo- 
ments hang  heavily  on  the  hands  of  the  idle.  Occupation 
drives  away  care  and  all  the  small  troubles  of  life.  The 
busy  man  has  no  time  to  brood  or  to  fret. 

Lubbock,  from  The  Pleasures  of  Life, 

WORD    STUDY. 

Insert  the  following  words  in  their  proper  places 
in  the  sentences  below.  Then  write  six  sentences 
containing  the  six  words  in  the  list  that  you  have 
not  nsed. 

poor  needy  pinched      straitened         indigent 

destitute    gift  donation     munificence      wealth 

riches         prosperity     luxury        af&uence  opulence 

The  boy  was  found  in  a condition. 

The  widow  had  never  seen  such  a  display  of • 

Those  who  live  in are  not  always  happy. 

A  certain  amount  of is  agreeable  to  all. 

Most  of  the  peasants  in  Russia  are . 

Too  much tends  to  weaken  a  nation. 

He  gave  a  large to  the  library. 

often  take  wings. 

Composition  Exercise. 

Some  days  after  the  queen  had  passed  through 
their  little  village.  Marc  and  Kobin  happened  to 


PARAGRAPHS  43 

get  to  talking  about  the  expensive  necklace  she 
had  worn.  What  did  they  think  it  cost  ?  What 
could  have  been  done  with  the  money  ?  Tell  what 
you  think  these  poor  boys  would  say  about  the 
luxuries  enjoyed  by  their  rich  sovereign.  Where 
were  they  ?  How  did  they  happen  to  be  talking 
on  this  subject? 

Or  write  a  paragraph  upon  this  topic  sentence : 

The  men  who  made  our  constitution  were  wise  when 
they  said  that  "  no  title  of  nobility  shall  be  granted  by 
the  United  States." 

Why  should  there  be  none  ?  What  do  you  think 
is  the  proudest  title  any  man  can  have  ? 

Exercise. 

One  way  to  learn  to  write  a  good  paragraph  is 
to  study  the  method  used  in  good  literature  of  the 
reading  lessons.  By  this  time  pupils  have  learned 
to  analyze  a  paragraph  so  that  they  always  can 
tell  its  subject ;  and  if  there  is  a  topic  sentence, 
they  can  find  it.  There  is  a  further  benefit  to  be 
derived  from  the  study  of  the  reading  lessons. 

Whenever  a  paragraph  that  seems  especially 
good  is  found,  it  should  be  studied  very  carefully, 
the  arrangement  of  the  sentences  and  the  choice 
of  the  words  being  specially  noticed.  After  a  few 
days  this  paragraph  should  be  rewritten  without 
the  book  or  any  notes.  If  there  is  a  tendency  to 
write  it  too  much  like  the  original,  because  it  has 
been  too  well  remembered,  or  too  frequently  re- 


44  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

ferred  to,  a  good  paragraph  from  any  source  may 
be  put  upon  the  board  for  study  and  conversation, 
and  then  erased.  Such  a  paragraph  should  be 
rewritten  after  a  day  or  two,  not  at  once.  Any 
of  the  paragraphs  on  pages  23  or  24  would  serve 
the  purpose  admirably.  The  following  paragraph 
from  Mr.  Field's  ''  If  I  Were  a  Boy  Again  "  is  good, 
and  will  serve  to  illustrate  the  method. 

If  I  were  a  boy  again  I  would  practice  perseverance 
oftener,  and  never  give  a  thing  up  because  it  was  hard  or 
inconvenient  to  do  it.  If  we  want  light,  we  must  conquer 
darkness.  When  I  think  of  mathematics  I  blush  at  the 
recollection  of  how  often  I  "  caved  in  "  years  ago.  There 
is  no  trait  more  valuable  than  a  determination  to  perse- 
vere when  the  right  thing  is  to  be  accomplished.  We  are 
all  inclined  to  give  up  too  easily  in  trying  or  unpleasant 
situations,  and  the  point  I  would  establish  with  myself,  if 
the  choice  were  again  within  my  grasp,  would  be  never  to 
relinquish  my  hold  on  a  possible  success  if  mortal  strength 
or  brains  in  my  case  were  adequate  to  the  occasion. 

Fields,  from  Underbrush. 

Define  the  following  words,  and  be  able  to  give 
sentences  with  them  :  inconvenient,  conquer^  recol- 
lection^ trait,  determination,  establish,  relinquish, 
adequate,  occasion. 

What  is  the  subject  of  the  paragraph  ?  What 
is  the  topic  sentence  ? 

What  does  the  second  sentence  mean  ?  Say  it 
in  some  other  way.  Is  "  recollection  "  better  than 
"  thought "  in  the  third  sentence  ?  Why  ?  Why 
did  Mr.  Fields  say  "  when  the  right  thing  is  to  be 


PARAGRAPHS  45 

accomplished  "  ?  Is  "  relinquish  "  better  than  "  let 
go  "  ?  Why  does  he  say  "  in  my  case  "  ?  Does  the 
author  anywhere  indicate  that  he  would  not  give 
up  if  he  had  a  piece  of  work  to  do  on  a  farm,  or  in 
a  shop  ?    Where  ?     Rewrite  the  paragraph. 

\\rOKD    STUDY. 
Principal  Parts  of  Verbs. 

The  principal  parts  of  these  verbs  are  frequently 
given  incorrectly.  Learn  them  so  that  you  will 
not  find  yourself  saying  such  things  as  these  :  The 
bell  has  rang ;  He  run  a  block ;  He  has  sat  the  cup 
down. 


Present. 

Past. 

Perfect. 

know 

knew 

known 

ring 

rang' 

rung 

run 

ran 

run 

sit 

sat 

sat 

set 

set 

set 

bring 

brought 

brought 

lay 

laid 

laid 

lie 

lay 

lain 

read 

read 

read 

teach 

taught 

taught 

Exercise. 
Change  the  verbs  below  from  the  present  form 
to  the  form  which  uses  have  or  has  ;  that  is,  to  the 
perfect  form. 

1.  Few  of  the  older  Indians  know  how  to  read. 

2.  The  sexton  rings  the  bell. 
8.  I  run  as  fast  as  he. 


46  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

4.  Pussy  sits  beside  the  fire. 

5.  Anna  sets  the  lamp  on  the  table. 

6.  We  bring  fresh  flowers. 

7.  He  lays  his  little  head  in  my  lap. 

8.  Frank  lies  on  his  back  at  night. 

9.  She  reads  three  books  a  week. 

10.  Miss  White  teaches  four  classes. 

Composition  Exercise. 

I  should  like  to  be  rich  for  three  very  good  reasons. 
The  first  one  is (First  topic  sentence). 

Besides, (Second  topic  sentence). 

Greater  than  these  two   reasons  is  my  last  one 

(Third  topic  sentence). 

The  three  reasons  should  each  be  stated  and 
discussed  in  a  paragraph.  Notice  that  the  topic 
sentences  do  not  come  first  in  the  paragraphs  ; 
but  they  have  been  delayed  by  the  words  connect- 
ing the  paragraphs.  If  you  can  think  of  better 
connections  between  your  paragraphs,  do  not  use 
these  words.  They  are  only  an  example  of  the 
way  it  may  be  done. 

LENGTH   OF   PARAGRAPHS. 

A  paragraph  has  been  defined  as  a  sentence  or 
a  group  of  sentences,  treating  one  single  topic. 
The  topic  may  be  a  big  one,  and  for  that  reason  re- 
quire a  long  paragraph ;  or  it  may  be  but  a  minor 
point,  and  so  require  a  short  paragraph.  This  is 
the  thing  to  remember  about  the  length  of  a  para- 
graph :  a  paragraph  should  he  just  as  long  or  as 


PARAGRAPHS  47 

short  as  it  needs  to  be  to  say  what  you  have  to  say 
about  your  topic. 

Some  pupils  make  a  paragraph  division  about 
once  in  four  or  five  lines.  They  seem  to  think 
that  if  they  stop  a  line  in  the  middle^,  and  begin 
the  next  line  two  inches  from  the  left  margin^  they 
are  making  good  paragraphs.  If  that  were  so,  the 
following  might  be  called  a  paragraph.  It  fills  four 
or  five  lines  upon  the  page  ;  it  is  indented ;  and  it 
stops  in  the  middle  of  a  line. 

There  is  a  beauty  in  deeds,  kindly  done.  "  If  we  have 
one  disease,  we  may  at  least  congratulate  ourselves  that  we 
are  escaping  all  the  rest."  Theodore  Roosevelt  is  a  man 
of  action ;  he  loves  to  be  doing  something,  and  it  is  always 
a  worthy  thing.  The  edges  of  the  flaky  clouds  were 
tinged  with  pink  by  the  setting  sun. 

The  above  group  of  sentences  does  not  make  a 
paragraph,  because  the  sentences  are  not  related. 
They  have  nothing  to  do  with  each  other. 

The  division  of  a  composition  into  paragraphs 
may  be  poor,  even  when  the  sentences  have  some 
real  relation.  Pupils  may  feel  that  there  must  be 
a  new  paragraph  at  a  certain  point,  because  there 
should  be  so  many  on  a  page.  A  long  time  ago 
authors  wrote  very  long  paragraphs  ;  to-day  they 
write  very  short  ones,  and  in  their  desire  to  have 
their  paragraphs  short,  they  do  not  always  put 
into  one  paragraph  all  they  have  to  say  upon  a 
topic.  These  below  are  taken  from  good  books ; 
but  you  will  see  that  there  should  not  be  five 
paragraphs,  but  only  three. 


48  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Titian  loved  Giorgione  so  well  that  he  even  imitated  his 
faults.  At  first  this  high  compliment  was  pleasing  to 
Giorgione ;  then  he  became  indifferent,  and  finally  dis- 
gusted.    The  very  sight  of  Titian  gave  him  a  pain. 

He  avoided  his  society.  He  ceased  to  speak  to  him 
when  they  met,  and  he  forbade  his  friends  to  mention  the 
name  "  Titian  "  in  his  presence.  Hubbakd,  from  Titian, 

Such  courage  and  stanch  fidelity  were  bound  to  win 
respect,  if  not  toleration.  At  any  rate,  there  was  no  gun- 
ner in  wait  next  night,  when  all  was  still.  Could  it  be  of 
any  use  ?  Driven  off  thrice  with  gun-shots,  would  she  make 
another  try  to  feed  or  free  her  captive  young  one  ? 

Would  she?  Hers  was  a  mother's  love.  There  was 
but  one  to  watch  them  this  time,  the  fourth  night,  when 
the  quavering  whine  of  the  little  one  was  followed  by  that 
shadowy  form  above  the  wood  pile. 

But  carrying  no  fowl  or  food  that  could  be  seen.  Had 
the  keen  huntress  failed  at  last?  Had  she  no  head  of 
game  for  this,  her  only  charge,  or  had  she  learned  to  trust 
his  captors  for  his  food  ? 

Thompson,  from  Wild  Animals  I  have  Known. 

These  paragraphs  are  too  short,  not  because 
they  contain  but  a  small  number  of  lines,  but  be- 
cause they  do  not  oontain  all  that  the  author  said 
upon  one  topic.  Put  everything  about  one  topic 
into  one  paragraph. 

The  following  story  of  "  The  Death  of  the 
Dauphin"  was  written  by  Alphonse  Daudet  in 
French.  The  paragraphs  are  short,  but  they  are 
all  real  paragraphs.  Each  one  treats  a  single  small 
topic  completely ;  and  in  no  case  has  the  author  let 


PARAGRAPHS  49 

part  of  a  paragraph  get  separated  from  the  rest  of 
it,  in  this  way  making  incomplete  paragraphs. 

The  Httle  Dauphin  is  ill ;  the  little  Dauphin  is  dying. 
In  all  the  churches  of  the  kingdom  the  Holy  Sacrament 
remains  exposed  night  and  day,  and  great  tapers  burn,  for 
the  recovery  of  the  royal  child.  The  streets  of  the  old 
capital  are  sad  and  silent,  the  bells  ring  no  more,  the  car- 
riages slacken  their  pace.  In  the  neighborhood  of  the 
palace  the  curious  townspeople  gaze  through  the  railings 
upon  the  beadles,  who  converse  in  the  courts  and  put  on 
important  airs. 

All  the  castle  is  in  a  flutter.  Chamberlains  and  major- 
domos  run  up  and  down  the  marble  stairways.  The  gal- 
leries are  full  of  pages  and  of  courtiers  in  silken  apparel, 
who  hurry  from  one  group  to  another,  begging  in  low 
tones  for  news.  Upon  the  wide  perrons  the  maids  of 
honor,  in  tears,  exchange  low  courtesies  and  wipe  their 
eyes  with  daintily  embroidered  handkerchiefs. 

A  large  assemblage  of  robed  physicians  has  gathered  in 
the  Orangery.  They  can  be  seen  through  the  panes  wav- 
ing their  black  sleeves  and  inclining  their  periwigs  with 
professional  gestures.  The  governor  and  the  equerry  of 
the  little  Dauphin  walk  up  and  down  before  the  door 
awaiting  the  decision  of  the  Faculty.  Scullions  pass  by 
without  saluting  them.  The  equerry  swears  like  a  pagan ; 
the  governor  quotes  verses  from  Horace. 

And  meanwhile,  over  there,  in  the  direction  of  the 
stables,  is  heard  a  long  and  plaintive  neighing;  it  is  the 
little  Dauphin's  sorrel,  forgotten  by  the  hostlers,  and  call- 
ing sadly  before  his  empty  manger. 

And  the  King?  Where  is  his  Highness,  the  King? 
The  King  has  locked  himself  up  in  a  room  at  the  other 
end  of  the  castle.     Majesties  do  not  like  to  be  seen  weep- 


50  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

ing.  For  the  Queen,  it  is  different.  Sitting  by  the  bedside 
of  the  little  Dauphin,  she  bows  her  fair  face,  bathed  in 
tears,  and  sobs  very  loudly  before  everybody,  like  a  mere 
draper's  wife. 

On  the  bed  embroidered  with  lace  the  little  Dauphin, 
whiter  than  the  pillows  on  which  he  is  extended,  lies  with 
closed  eyes.  They  think  that  he  is  asleep ;  but  no,  the 
little  Dauphin  is  not  asleep.  He  turns  towards  his  mother, 
and  seeing  her  tears,  he  asks  :  — 

"  Madame  la  Eeine,  why  do  you  weep  ?  Do  you  really 
believe  that  I  am  going  to  die  ?  " 

The  Queen  tries  to  answer.  Sobs  prevent  her  from 
speaking. 

"  Do  not  weep,  Madame  la  Heine.  You  forget  that  I 
am  the  Dauphin,  and  that  Dauphins  cannot  die  thus." 

The  Queen  sobs  more  violently,  and  the  little  Dauphin 
begins  to  feel  frightened. 

" Halloa!  "  says  he,  "  I  do  not  want  Death  to  come  and 
take  me  away,  and  I  know  how  to  prevent  him  from  com- 
ing here.  Order  up  on  the  spot  forty  of  the  strongest 
lansquenets  to  keep  guard  around  our  bed  !  Have  a  hun- 
dred big  cannons  watch  day  and  night,  with  lighted  fuses, 
under  our  windows !  And  woe  to  Death  if  he  dares  to 
come  near  us !  " 

In  order  to  humor  the  royal  child,  the  Queen  makes  the 
sign.  On  the  spot  the  great  cannons  are  heard  rolling  in 
the  courts,  and  forty  tall  lansquenets,  with  halberds  in  their 
fists,  draw  up  around  the  room.  They  are  all  veterans, 
with  grizzly  mustaches.  The  little  Dauphin  claps  his 
hands  on  seeing  them.     He  recognizes  one,  and  calls,  — 

"  Lorrain  !  Lorrain ! " 

The  veteran  makes  a  step  towards  the  bed. 

"  I  love  you  well,  my  old  Lorrain.  Let  me  see  your  big 
sword.  If  Death  wants  to  fetch  me,  you  will  kill  him, 
won't  you  ?  " 


PARAGRAPHS  51 

Lorrain  answers  :  "  Yes,  Monseigneur." 

And  two  great  tears  rolled  down  his  tanned  cheeks. 

At  that  moment  the  chaplain  approaches  the  little 
Dauphin,  and  pointing  to  the  crucifix,  talks  to  him  in 
low  tones.  The  little  Dauphin  listens  with  astonished  air ; 
then,  suddenly  interrupting  him,  — 

"I  understand  well  what  you  are  saying,  Monsieur 
TAbbe ;  but  still,  could  n't  my  little  friend  Beppo  die  in 
my  place,  if  I  gave  him  plenty  of  money  ?  " 

The  chaplain  continues  to  talk  to  him  in  low  tones,  and 
the  little  Dauphin  looks  more  and  more  astonished. 

When  the  chaplain  has  finished,  the  little  Dauphin 
resumes,  with  a  heavy  sigh  :  — 

"  What  you  have  said  is  all  very  sad,  Monsieur  TAbbe  ; 
but  one  thing  consoles  me,  and  that  is  that  up  there,  in 
the  Paradise  of  the  stars,  I  shall  still  be  the  Dauphin.  I 
know  that  the  good  God  is  my  cousin,  and  cannot  fail  to 
treat  me  according  to  my  rank." 

Then  he  adds,  turning  toward  his  mother :  — 

"Bring  me  my  fairest  clothes,  my  doublet  of  white 
ermine,  and  pumps  of  velvet !  I  wish  to  look  brave  to  the 
angels,  and  to  enter  Paradise  in  the  dress  of  a  Dauphin." 

A  third  time  the  chaplain  bends  over  the  little  Dauphin, 
and  talks  to  him  in  low  tones.  In  the  midst  of  his  dis- 
course the  royal  child  interrupts  him  angrily. 

"  Why,  then,"  he  cries,  "  to  be  Dauphin  is  nothing  at 
all ! " 

And  refusing  to  listen  to  anything  more,  the  little 
Dauphin  turns  towards  the  wall  and  weeps  bitterly. 

Daudet,  from  Letters  from  my  Windmill. 

Define  the  following  words  :  chamberlain^  major- 
domo^  perrouj  equerry^  scullion^  pagan^  dauphin^ 
lansquenetj  halberd,  brave  (as  used  here). 


62  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

The  last  word  has  not  its  usual  meaning  here  ; 
look  it  up  in  an  unabridged  dictionary. 

Exercise, 
Give  the  topics  of  the  first  five  paragraphs.  Go 
carefully  through  the  remainder  of  the  story  and 
tell  why  each  of  these  paragraphs,  short  as  it  is,  is 
a  real  paragraph.  Call  up  the  rule  of  paragraph- 
ing in  conversation. 

Composition  Exercise. 
If  you  have  been  reading  "  The  Peasant  and  the 
Prince/'  compare  the  impression  you  obtain  from 
that  book  regarding  the  instruction  of  the  royal 
children  with  that  obtained  from  reading  "  The 
Death  of  the  Dauphin." 

W^ORD    STUDY. 

In  the  list  of  words  that  follows,  there  are  as 
many  adjectives  as  nouns.  But  some  of  the  adjec- 
tives go  better  with  certain  of  the  nouns  than 
others.  For  example,  it  is  much  better  to  write 
"fair  courtesy"  than  "benignant  courtesy." 

Adjectives.  Nouns, 

gentle  politeness 

benignant  kindness 

refined  courtesy 

true  dignity 

fair  deeds 

well-bred  culture 

Write  six  sentences  containing  these  words  ar- 
ranged in  pairs  as  it  seems  to  you  best.  Be  sure 
that  you  know  exactly  what  each  word  means. 


r 


PARAGRAPHS  53 

PRINCIPAL   PARTS    OF    VERBS. 

Learn  the  principal  parts  of  the  following  verbs. 
Insert  such  forms  as  you  think  best  in  the  sentences 
below. 

Write  five  sentences,  containing  some  form  of 
five  of  these  verbs. 


Present 
break 

fly 

choose 

shine 

swim 

sleep 

give 

buy 

steal 

write 


WORD   STUDY. 
Past, 
broke 
flew 
chose 
shone 
swam 
slept 
gave 
bought 
stole 
wrote 


Perfect. 

broken 

flown 

chosen 

shone 

swum 

slept 

given 

bought 

stolen 

written 


1.  the  truth,  and  sell  it  not. 

2.  Mary  has that  better  part  which  shall  not  be 

taken  away  from  her. 

3.  Who my  purse trash. 

4.  The  sun on  a  dimpling  sea. 

5.  Leander the  Hellespont  to  Hero. 

6.  Having until  morning,  the  party  was  ready  for 

another  hard  day's  journey. 

7.  The  birds  have to  their  southern  homes. 

8.  The  pitcher  is at  the  fountain. 

9.  Motley  has  some  delightful  letters  about  his 

experiences  in  Europe. 

10.  " !  !  "  cries  the  beggar  in  Italy,  but  when 

you  have  he  will  rail  at  you  because  you  so 

little. 


54  ELEMENTAEY  COMPOSITION 

Composition  Exercise. 

On  the  opposite  page,  there  is  a  picture  of 
Queen  Louise  of  Prussia.  The  original  of  the  pic- 
ture is  in  the  gallery  at  Cologne.  Few  pictures 
have  been  copied  oftener  than  this.  One  reason 
is  because  it  is  so  beautiful ;  and  another  is  that  the 
people  over  whom  she  was  queen  adored  her. 

Study  the  picture  carefully,  and  then  write  a  com- 
parison between  this  queen  as  you  think  she  was 
and  Marie  Antoinette  as  you  have  come  to  know 
her  from  reading  "  The  Peasant  and  the  Prince." 
Do  not  write  about  how  they  looked ,  but  just 
about  what  kind  of  persons  they  were.  You  will 
naturally  make  two  paragraphs. 

Those  who  are  not  reading  the  story  may  write 
two  paragraphs :  the  first  upon  the  appearance  of 
Queen  Louise,  and  the  second  upon  her  character 
as  they  think  it  must  be  from  the  picture. 

Kind  hearts  are  more  than  coronets, 
And  simple  faith  than  Norman  blood. 

Tennyson,  from  Lady  Clara  Vere  de  Vere, 

FOB  MEMOKIZING. 

Sweet  smiling  village,  loveliest  of  the  lawn ! 

Thy  sports  are  fled,  and  all  thy  charms  withdrawn ; 

Amidst  thy  bowers  the  tyrant's  hand  is  seen, 

And  desolation  saddens  all  thy  green : 

One  only  master  grasps  the  whole  domain, 

And  half  a  tillage  stints  thy  smiling  plain ; 

No  more  thy  glassy  brook  reflects  the  day. 

But  chok'd  with  sedges  works  its  weedy  way ; 


QUEEN   LOUISE 


PARAGRAPHS  57 

Along  thy  glades,  a  solitary  guest, 

The  hollow-sounding  bittern  guards  its  nest ; 

Amidst  thy  desert-walks  the  lapwing  flies. 

And  tires  their  echoes  with  unvaried  cries. 

Sunk  are  thy  bowers  in  shapeless  ruin  all, 

And  the  long  grass  o'ertops  the  mouldering  wall ; 

And,  trembling,  shrinking  from  the  spoiler's  hand, 

Far,  far  away  thy  children  leave  the  land. 

Ill  fares  the  land,  to  hastening  ills  a  prey, 
Where  wealth  accumulates,  and  men  decay ; 
Princes  and  lords  may  flourish,  or  may  fade ; 
A  breath  can  make  them,  as  a  breath  has  made  : 
But  a  bold  peasantry,  their  country's  pride. 
When  once  destroy'd,  can  never  be  supplied. 

A  time  there  was,  ere  England's  griefs  began, 
When  every  rood  of  ground  maintain'd  its  man ; 
For  him  light  labor  spread  her  wholesome  store, 
Just  gave  what  life  requir'd,  but  gave  no  more ; 
His  best  companions,  innocence  and  health ; 
And  his  best  riches,  ignorance  of  wealth. 

But  times  are  alter'd ;  trade's  unfeeling  train 
Usurp  the  land,  and  dispossess  the  swain ; 
Along  the  lawn,  where  scatter'd  hamlets  rose. 
Unwieldy  wealth  and  cumbrous  pomp  repose ; 
And  every  want  to  opulence  allied. 
And  every  pang  that  folly  pays  to  pride. 
Those  gentle  hours  that  plenty  bade  to  bloom, 
Those  calm  desires  that  ask'd  but  little  room. 
Those  healthful  sports  that  grac'd  the  peaceful  scene, 
Liv'd  in  each  look,  and  brighten'd  all  the  green  ; 


58  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

These,  far  departing,  seek  a  kinder  shore. 
And  rural  mirth  and  manners  are  no  more. 

GrOLDSMiTH,  from  The  Deserted  Village, 

^'  The  Deserted  Village  "  was  dedicated  to  the 
great  English  painter.  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds.  Gold- 
smith said  in  his  dedication  that  he  must  speak 
against  the  "  increase  of  our  luxuries."  "  For 
twenty  or  thirty  years  past,"  he  wrote,  ^^  it  has 
been  the  fashion  to  consider  luxury  as  one  of  the 
greatest  national  advantages."  He  says  that  he 
cannot  believe  this  true ;  and  he  asserts  that  lux- 
ury does  harm,  because  with  luxury  comes  vice. 
This  second  division  of  the  poem  expresses  his 
thoughts  upon  the  change  that  wealth  has  wrought. 

Before  the  meaning  of  these  verses  can  be  gained, 
it  will  be  necessary  to  know  the  definitions  of  some 
words.  Define  tyrant^  desolation^  tillage,  stints, 
sedges,  glades,  bittern,  lapwing,  unvaried,  spoiled, 
accumulates,  peasantry,  reed,  usurp,  dis20ossess, 
unwieldy,  cumbrous,  opidence,  bade,  rural,  j^omp, 
repose,  allied,  pang. 

Why  now  is  there  "  half  a  tillage  "  ?  What 
change  has  taken  place  in  the  brook  ?  Why  did 
the  poet  choose  the  bittern  and  the  lapwing  in- 
stead of  the  blackbird  and  the  robin  ?  In  the  first 
part  of  the  poem  who  could  be  found  in  the  glades 
and  bowers  ? 

These  words  are  by  Burns :  — 

"  A  prince  can  mak  a  belted  knight, 
A  marquis,  duke,  and  a'  that ; 
But  an  honest  man  's  aboon  his  might.'* 


PARAGRAPHS  59 

Is  the  thought  of  these  lines  by  Burns  like  that 
of  Goldsmith  in  the  second  stanza  ?  Who  has 
destroyed  the  hamlets  ?  Does  it  look  prettier  with 
great  castles  and  wide  estates  than  it  did  with  Uttle 
farms  and  snug  cottages  ?  Is  there  always  some 
want  which  the  opulent  have  not  yet  supplied  ? 
Will  it  always  be  so  ?  Do  proud  persons  suffer  ? 
Is  there  more  happiness  in  the  new  rich  England, 
than  there  was  in  the  England  when  every  man 
owned  his  rood  of  land  ? 

It 's  no  in  titles  nor  in  rank, 

It 's  no  in  wealth  like  Lon'on  bank 

To  purchase  peace  and  rest : 
It 's  no  in  makin'  muckle  mair, 
It 's  no  in  books,  it 's  no  in  lear, 

To  make  us  truly  blest. 
If  happiness  hae  not  her  seat 

And  centre  in  the  breast, 
We  may  be  wise,  or  rich,  or  great, 

But  never  can  be  blest. 

Burns,  from  Epistle  to  Davie. 
liENGTH    OF    PAKAGRAPHS. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  it  has  been  learned 
that  a  paragraph  is  sometimes  too  short ;  not  be- 
cause it  contains  a  small  number  of  words,  but 
because  it  does  not  contain  all  that  the  author  had 
to  say  upon  a  topic. 

Paragraphs  may  be  too  long  also.  This  occurs 
most  frequently  when  a  pupil  does  not  think  of 


60  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

the  topic  upon  which  he  is  writing.  In  history 
the  teacher  places  topics  on  the  blackboard,  and 
asks  the  class  to  study  these  topics  and  be  able  to 
recite  upon  them.  When  a  pupil  is  called  to  recite 
upon  "  The  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill/'  the  teacher 
does  not  wish  him  to  go  on  and  tell  about  the 
next  topic.  She  wishes  him  to  recite  upon  the 
one  topic  assigned.  All  that  the  pupil  says  upon 
the  one  topic  makes  one  paragraph.  What  the 
pupil  says  who  talks  upon  the  next  topic  will 
make  another  paragraph.  If  these  recitations 
should  be  written  upon  paper,  what  each  pupil 
says  should  make  one  paragraph,  and  then  the 
series  of  paragraphs  would  be  correct.  Do  not 
put  the  treatment  of  more  than  one  topic  into  a 
paragraph  ;  and  never  let  one  topic  run  over  into 
the  next  paragraph. 

Many  years  ago,  the  best  writers  did  not  para- 
graph as  well  ds  the  best  writers  of  to-day  do.  Their 
paragraphs  were  as  long  as  whole  essays  ought  to 
be.  Now  we  are  writing  very  much  shorter  para- 
graphs ;  and  the  reader  likes  it  better,  because  such 
a  division  of  the  whole  composition  into  small  parts 
makes  it  easier  to  get  the  meaning.  The  following 
was  all  written  as  one  paragraph.  It  is  part  of  a 
letter  by  Lord  Chesterfield  to  his  son. 

The  letter  was  dated  at  Bath,  England,  Febru- 
ary 16,  1748.  In  the  beginning.  Lord  Chesterfield 
says  that  he  has  left  business  and  has  gone  to  his 
own  home  —  there  to  enjoy  the  comforts  of  a  quiet 


PARAGRAPHS  61 

life,  and  especially  his  books  and  his  library.  Then 
he  goes  on  with  what  follows  :  — 

I  must  observe  to  you  upon  this  occasion  that  the  unin- 
terrupted satisfaction  which  I  expect  to  find  in  that  library 
will  be  chiefly  owing  to  my  having  employed  some  part  of 
my  life  well  at  your  age.  I  wish  I  had  employed  it  better, 
and  my  satisfaction  would  now  be  complete ;  but,  however, 
I  planted  while  young  that  degree  of  knowledge  which  is 
now  my  refuge  and  my  shelter.  Make  your  plantations 
still  more  extensive ;  they  will  more  than  pay  you  for  your 
trouble.  I  do  not  regret  the  time  that  I  passed  in  plea- 
sures ;  they  were  seasonable ;  they  were  the  pleasures  of 
youth,  and  I  enjoyed  them  while  young.  If  I  had  not,  I 
should  probably  have  overvalued  them  now,  as  we  are  very 
apt  to  do  what  we  do  not  know  ;  but  knowing  them  as  I 
do,  I  know  their  real  value,  and  how  much  they  are  gen- 
erally overrated.  Nor  do  I  regret  the  time  that  I  have 
passed  in  business  for  the  same  reason  ;  those  who  see  only 
the  outside  of  it  imagine  it  has  hidden  charms,  which  they 
pant  after,  and  nothing  but  acquaintance  can  undeceive 
them.  I,  who  have  been  behind  the  scenes  both  of  plea- 
sure and  business,  and  have  seen  all  the  springs  and 
pulleys  of  those  decorations  which  astonish  and  dazzle  the 
audience,  retire  not  only  without  regret,  but  with  content- 
ment and  satisfaction.  But  what  I  do  and  ever  shall 
regret,  is  the  time  which,  while  young,  I  lost  in  mere  idle- 
ness, and  in  doing  nothing.  This  is  the  common  effect  of 
the  inconsideracy  of  youth,  against  which  I  beg  you  will 
be  most  carefully  upon  your  guard.  The  value  of  mo- 
ments when  cast  up  is  immense,  if  well  employed  ;  if 
thrown  away,  their  loss  is  irrecoverable.  Every  moment 
may  be  put  to  some  use,  and  that  with  much  more  plea- 
sure than  if  unemployed.     Do  not  imagine  that  by  the 


62  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

employment  of  time  I  mean  an  uninterrupted  application 
to  serious  studies.  No;  pleasures  are  at  proper  times 
both  as  necessary  and  as  useful ;  they  fashion  and  form 
you  for  the  world  ;  they  teach  you  characters,  and  show 
you  the  human  heart  in  its  unguarded  minutes.  But  then 
remember  to  make  that  use  of  them.  I  have  known  many 
people  from  laziness  of  mind  go  through  both  pleasure  and 
business  with  equal  inattention,  neither  enjoying  the  one 
nor  doing  the  other  ;  thinking  themselves  men  of  pleasure 
because  they  were  mingled  with  those  who  were,  and  men 
of  business  because  they  had  business  to  do,  though  they 
did  not  do  it.  Whatever  you  do,  do  it  to  the  purpose ; 
do  it  thoroughly,  not  superficially.  Go  to  the  bottom  of 
things.  Anything  half  done  or  half  known  is,  in  my 
mind,  neither  done  nor  known  at  all.  Nay,  worse,  for  it 
often  misleads.  There  is  hardly  any  place  or  any  com- 
pany where  you  may  not  gain  knowledge,  if  you  please  ; 
almost  everybody  knows  some  one  thing,  and  is  glad  to 
talk  upon  that  one  thing.  Seek  and  you  will  find,  in 
this  world  as  well  as  in  the  next.  See  everything,  in- 
quire into  everything ;  and  you  may  excuse  your  curiosity 
and  the  questions  you  ask,  which  otherwise  might  be 
thought  impertinent,  by  your  manner  of  asking  them,  — 
for  most  things  depend  a  great  deal  upon  the  manner ;  as 
for  example,  "I  am  afraid  that  I  am  very  troublesome 
with  my  questions,  but  nobody  can  inform  me  so  well  as 
you,"  or  something  of  that  kind.  Lord  Chesterfield. 

Read  the  letter  over  several  times  very  care- 
fully, until  you  know  surely  the  different  topics 
written  about.  Each  group  of  sentences  treating 
a  single  topic  is  a  paragraph.  There  are  six  well 
defined  paragraphs  in  the  letter.  What  is  the 
subject  of  the  first  ?     What  two  things  has  he  no 


PARAGRAPHS  63 

regret  for  doing?  Does  each  of  these  make  the 
subject  of  a  paragraph?  What  does  he  regret? 
What  would  he  have  his  son  do  with  his  pleasures? 
How  would  he  have  him  do  all  things  ? 

Divide  this  letter  into  six  paragraphs.  Give  the 
subject  of  each.  Give  the  topic  sentence  of  each, 
framing  your  own  when  there  is  none  in  the  letter. 
Write  from  dictation  what  the  class  decides  is  the 
fourth  paragraph. 

WORD   STUDY. 

Write  sentences  containing  the  following  words 
taken  from  the  letter  by  Lord  Chesterfield. 


refuge 

shelter 

seasonable 

undeceive 

decorations 

irrecoverable 

serious 

superficially 

impertinent 

The  three  words,  ^^ observe,"  ^^plantations," 
"  inconsideracy,"  are  used  with  a  meaning  slightly 
different  from  the  meaning  given  to  the  same  words 
to-day.  Write  three  sentences  containing  the  words 
we  should  use  to-day  instead  of  these  three  words. 

Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  paragraph  upon  this  topic  sentence  :  — 

The  most  unhappy  person  I  can  think  of  is  the  one  with 
nothing  to  do. 

Or  tell  a  story  in  which  some  person  who  only 
half  knew  a  thing  which  he  thought  he  knew  well 
got  himself  or  some  friends  into  trouble. 


64 


ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 


Or  write  a  little  incident  telling  how  a  man 
whom  you  thought  ignorant  surprised  you  one 
day  with  some  unexpected  knowledge  or  skill  in 
doing  something. 


PRIlSrCIPAL   PARTS    OF   VERBS. 

Learn  the  principal  parts  of  the  following  verbs. 
Change  the  sentences  in  the  present  form  to  the 
perfect,  and  those  in  the  perfect  to  the  present. 


Present. 

Past, 

Perfect. 

bite 

bit 

bitten 

draw 

drew 

drawn 

drink 

drank 

drunk 

drive 

drove 

driven 

forget 

forgot 

forgotten 

sing 

sang 

sung 

throw 

threw 

thrown 

wear 

wore 

worn 

catch 

caught 

caught 

think 

thought 

thought 

1.  Jennie  Lind  sang  very  sweetly. 

2.  Mad  dogs  have  bitten  many  children. 

3.  A  wise  person  thinks  twice  before  he  speaks. 

4.  The  soldier  drew  his  sword  from  its  scabbard. 

5.  Past  ills  have  been  forgotten. 

6.  Socrates  drank  the  cup  of  hemlock. 

7.  The  life-saving  crew  have  thrown  a  rope  to  the  sink- 
ing ship. 

8.  In  early  ages  men  wore  skins  for  clothing. 

9.  We  catch  numbers  of  fish  in  this  lake. 

10.  Our  rural  postman  drives  thirty  miles  every  day. 


PARAGRAPHS  65 

Exercise. 
No  man  can  be  poor  that  has  enough ;  nor  rich,  that 
covets  more  than  he  has.  Alexander,  after  all  his  con- 
quests, complained  that  he  wanted  more  worlds  ;  he  desired 
something  more,  even  when  he  had  gotten  all ;  and  that 
which  was  sufficient  for  human  nature  was  not  enough  for 
one  man.  Money  never  made  any  man  rich;  for  the  more 
he  had,  the  more  he  still  coveted.  The  richest  man  that 
ever  lived  is  poor  in  my  opinion,  and  in  any  man's  may 
be  so :  but  he  that  keeps  himself  to  the  stint  of  Nature, 
does  neither  feel  poverty  nor  fear  it ;  nay,  even  in  poverty 
itself  there  are  some  things  superfluous.  Those  which  the 
world  calls  happy,  their  felicity  is  a  false  splendor,  that 
dazzles  the  eyes  of  the  vulgar ;  but  our  rich  man  is  glori- 
ous and  happy  within.  L'Estrange,  from  Seneca's  Morals. 

Seneca  was  a  Roman,  and  lived  nearly  two 
thousand  years  ago.  Besides  being  an  ancient 
Homan,  Seneca  was  a  Stoic,  a  philosopher  who 
believed  that  a  man  should  accept  without  com- 
plaint whatever  fortune  happened  to  befall  him. 
^^Our  rich  man/'  in  the  paragraph,  then,  was  a 
Stoic  of  those  old  Eoman  days.  He  was  rich  if  he 
was  "  glorious  and  happy  within."  Who  was  Alex- 
ander? How  much  did  he  have?  Had  it  been 
enough  for  all  the  world  before?  Would  it  be 
enough  for  you?  Was  it  "sufficient  for  human 
nature  " ?  Was  it  enough  for  Alexander?  Could 
Alexander  be  rich  ?  Why  is  it  that "  money  never 
made  any  man  rich"?  How  can  the  richest  man 
that  ever  lived  be  poor?  Define  "  stint."  Is  there 
enough  in  the  world  so  that  everybody  can  have 


66  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

as  much  as  he  needs  ?  Is  the  amount  that  each 
person  actually  needs,  Nature's  stint?  What  is 
meant  by  the  "  stint  of  Nature  "  ?  What  is  another 
word  for  "  felicity  "  ?  What  was  the  original  mean- 
ing of  "  vulgar  "  ?  Look  up  the  word  "  vulgar- 
ism." Does  this  word  retain  the  original  meaning 
of  the  word  ^^ vulgar"?  What  word  would  be 
used  to-day  instead  of  ^Wulgar"  in  the  phrase 
"  dazzles  the  eyes  of  the  vulgar  "  ? 

Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  paragraph  giving  your  opinion  upon 
Seneca's  philosophy  as  it  is  expressed  in  the  para- 
graph above.  If  Seneca's  paragraph  should  be  put 
into  one  sentence^  it  would  read :  "  He  that  wishes 
more  is  always  poor  ;  but  he  that  is  happy  and  con- 
tent with  what  he  has  is  always  rich."  What  do 
you  wish  to  say  of  this  ? 

WORD  STUDY. 

The  following  words  will  be  of  use  in  the  next 
composition.  Study  them  carefully ;  and  then  use 
them.  To  gain  some  familiarity  with  them,  write 
five  sentences,  each  containing  two  of  the  words. 
Also  fill  the  blanks  with  words  selected  from  the 
list. 

trustworthy  true  faithful 

loyalty  fidelity  honor 

sign  symbol  emblem 

enraged  crazy  frantic 

massacre  carnage  slaughter 


PARAGRAPHS  67 

awful  direful  fearful 

courage  bravery  ^      fortitude 

1.  Some  of  the  incidents  related  of  Indian are  too 

for  belief. 


2.  The  stars  and  stripes  are  the of  the  Union. 

3.  August  tenth,  1792,  the  Swiss  guards  proved 

their  and  to  the  Bourbon  king,  Louis  XVI. 

Their  and  were  unable  to  stand  against  the 

fury  of  the  — ■ —  and  mob  which  had  stormed  the 

Tuileries.    Of  the  one  thousand  brave  men  who  made  up 

this  guard,  barely  two  hundred  survived  the  .     The 

makes  the  tenth  of  August  one  of  the  oft- 
named  days  of  the  Reign  of  Terror. 

4.  A  white  lily  is  the of  the  Bourbons. 

Composition  Exercise. 

The  "  Lion  of  Lucerne  "  is  one  of  the  sights  the 
tourist  goes  to  see.  The  model  for  it  was  made  by 
Thorwaldsen,  the  great  Danish  sculptor. 

Following  this  model,  the  artist  has  carved  the 
great  lion  out  of  the  solid  rock.  It  is  twenty-eight 
feet  long.  The  emblem,  or  banner,  of  Switzerland 
is  a  white  cross ;  it  is  seen  upon  the  shield  which 
leans  against  the  rock.  The  conventionalized  lily 
was  the  emblem  of  the  king  of  France ;  this  is 
to  be  seen  under  the  paw  of  the  lion.  This  lion 
was  made  to  commemorate  the  slaughter  of  the 
Swiss  guards  who  fell  on  the  night  of  August  10, 
1792,  while  fighting  bravely  in  defense  of  the 
king,  Louis  XVI.  It  is  a  symbol  of  the  loyalty 
and  valor  and  death  of  true  men. 


68  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Why  should  the  symbol  be  a  lion  ?  Why  not  a 
bear  or  a  leopard  ?  Why  has  the  lion  placed  his 
paw  upon  the  lily  of  France?  Does  he  wish  to 
destroy  it  ?  or  is  he  protecting  it  ?  What  reason  is 
there  for  the  other  shield  appearing  in  the  picture  ? 
What  significance  is  there  in  the  broken  lance  and 
battle  axe  ?  Does  it  mean  anything  to  you  that 
the  spear  thrust  was  not  in  the  breast  of  the  lion  ? 
Look  at  the  lion's  face.  Does  it  indicate  yielding 
or  defiance  ?  Is  there  sorrow  in  the  face  ?  Is 
there  pain  ? 

After  you  have  decided  what  Thorwaldsen  meant 
to  express  in  this  famous  "  Lion  of  Lucerne/'  write 
your  impression  of  it  as  you  come  upon  it  after  a 
little  walk  from  your  hotel  through  the  streets  of 
Lucerne.  The  following  will  make  an  easy  ap- 
proach to  the  description.     Copy  it. 

The  thing  that  we  wished  to  see  most  in  Lucerne  was 
the  famous  "  Lion."  We  hardly  gave  ourselves  time  to 
eat  our  lunch  before  we  had  asked  the  porter  which  way 
to  go  to  find  it.  Following  his  directions  we  hurried  along 
a  crooked  street  lined  with  shops,  in  which  the  principal 
thing  for  sale  was  bears,  —  bears  lying  and  bears  stand- 
ing, bears  singly  and  large  families  of  bears  quietl}^  at 
dinner,  and  all  made  of  brown  wood,  —  until  we  came  to 
a  sign  which  read,  "  To  the  Lion."  Then  we  turned  to 
the  right  and  ran  up  a  path  a  few  rods,  and  there  before 
us  across  a  dark  pool  was  the  "  Lion  of  Lucerne." 

Now  go  on  with  your  description  of  the  "  Lion  of 
Lucerne." 


PARAGRAPHS  71 

FOR   MEMORIZING. 
THE  HERITAGE. 

The  rich  man's  son  inherits  lands, 
And  piles  of  brick  and  stone,  and  gold, 
And  he  inherits  soft  white  hands, 
And  tender  flesh  that  fears  the  cold. 
Nor  dares  to  wear  a  garment  old  ; 
A  heritage,  it  seems  to  me. 
One  scarce  would  wish  to  hold  in  fee. 

The  rich  man's  son  inherits  cares ; 
The  bank  may  break,  the  factory  burn, 
A  breath  may  burst  his  bubble  shares. 
And  soft  white  hands  could  hardly  earn 
A  living  that  would  serve  his  turn ; 
A  heritage,  it  seems  to  me. 
One  scarce  would  wish  to  hold  in  fee. 

A  rich  man's  son  inherits  wants. 

His  stomach  craves  for  dainty  fare  ; 

With  sated  heart,  he  hears  the  pants 

Of  toiling  hinds  with  brown  arms  bare, 

And  wearies  in  his  easy  chair ; 

A  heritage,  it  seems  to  me. 

One  scarce  would  wish  to  hold  in  fee. 

What  doth  the  poor  man's  son  inherit  ? 

Stout  muscles  and  a  sinewy  heart, 

A  hardy  frame,  a  hardier  spirit ; 

King  of  two  hands,  he  does  his  part 

In  every  useful  toil  and  art ; 

A  heritage,  it  seems  to  me, 

A  king  might  wish  to  hold  in  fee. 


72  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

What  doth  the  poor  man's  son  inherit? 

Wishes  o'erjoyed  with  humble  things, 

A  rank  adjudged  by  toil-worn  merit, 

Content  that  from  employment  springs, 

A  heart  that  in  his  labor  sings ; 

A  heritage,  it  seems  to  me, 

A  king  might  wish  to  hold  in  fee. 

What  doth  the  poor  man's  son  inherit? 

A  patience  learned  of  being  poor, 

Courage,  if  sorrow  come,  to  bear  it, 

A  fellow-feeling  that  is  sure 

To  make  the  outcast  bless  his  door ; 

A  heritage,  it  seems  to  me, 

A  king  might  wish  to  hold  in  fee. 

O  rich  man's  son !  there  is  a  toil 
That  with  all  others  level  stands ; 
Large  charity  doth  never  soil. 
But  only  whiten,  soft  white  hands ; 
This  is  the  best  crop  from  thy  lands, 
A  heritage,  it  seems  to  me. 
Worth  being  rich  to  hold  in  fee. 

O  poor  man's  son !  scorn  not  thy  state ; 
There  is  worse  weariness  than  thine, 
In  merely  being  rich  and  great ; 
Toil  only  gives  the  soul  to  shine. 
And  makes  rest  fragrant  and  benign ; 
A  heritage,  it  seems  to  me. 
Worth  being  poor  to  hold  in  fee. 

Both,  heirs  to  some  six  feet  of  sod. 
Are  equal  in  the  earth  at  last ; 


PARAGRAPHS  73 

'  Both,  children  of  the  same  dear  God, 

Prove  title  to  your  heirship  vast 
By  record  of  a  well-filled  past ; 
A  heritage,  it  seems  to  me, 
Well  worth  a  life  to  hold  in  fee.  Lowell. 

What  is  a  heritage  ?  What  is  meant  by  the 
phrase,  "  To  hold  in  fee  "  ?  What  are  "  bubble 
shares  "  ?  Define  "  sated."  What  word  do  we 
use  instead  of  ^^  sated  "  ?  Who  are  ^^ hinds"? 
Why  does  the  rich  man  weary  in  his  easy  chair  ? 
What  is  a  "  sinewy  heart?"  How  does  the  poor 
man  win  his  rank  ?  What  is  the  toil  a  rich  man 
may  engage  in,  that  "  with  all  others  level  stands  "  ? 
Is  it  honorable  ?  How  can  the  rich  man  prove 
title  to  his  ''  heirship  vast  "  ?  How  can  the  poor 
man  do  the  same  ?  Do  riches  or  poverty  make 
any  difference  in  the  honor  of  a  man's  life  ? 

The  poem  divides  itself  into  three  distinct  parts. 
In  each  part,  there  are  three  stanzas.  What  is  the 
topic  of  the  first  part  ?  of  the  second  ?  of  the 
third  ?  Write  three  topic  sentences  which  contain 
the  principal  thoughts  in  the  poem. 

Composition  Exercise. 

One  bright  afternoon  in  October,  two  boys,  James 
and  Harry,  went  into  the  woods  to  gather  nuts. 
They  were  there  before  the  squirrels,  and  in  a 
little  time  had  their  baskets  filled.  They  were  a 
little  tired  by  their  walk  and  work ;  and  the  smell 
of  the  leaves  was  so  fresh  and  sprightly  that  they 


74  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

lay  down  for  a  little  rest  before  they  started  on 
their  journey  home.  The  boys  had  been  reading 
"  The  Peasant  and  the  Prince " ;  and  they  had 
both  been  saddened  by  the  unhappy  life  of  the 
little  Dauphin  no  less  than  by  the  misery  of  Marc 
and  Robin.  However^  James  was  inclined  to  think 
that  the  lot  of  poor  little  Louis  was  harder  than 
the  rough  fate  of  the  beggarly  peasant's  children. 
Harry  insisted  that  he  would  rather  be  the  king's 
unfortunate  son  than  a  son  of  M.  Randolphe. 
Write  the  conversation  between  the  boys.  Be 
very  careful  in  the  use  of  quotation  marks.  Re- 
member how  conversation  is  paragraphed.  Don't 
forget  how  the  comma  and  semicolon  are  used  in 
reporting  conversation. 

Those  of  you  who  are  not  acquainted  with 
"  The  Peasant  and  the  Prince  "  may  make  the  two 
boys  discuss  the  chances  of  success  in  life  which  a 
poor  boy  has  when  compared  with  the  chance  a  son 
of  wealthy  parents  has.  The  rich  man's  son  has 
had  to  do  nothing;  and  the  poor  man's  son,  from 
the  time  he  was  able^  has  had  to  help  earn  the 
living  for  the  family. 

In  both  cases  there  should  be  a  paragraph  of 
introduction.  Follow  the  outline  given  above  for 
this  introduction,  telling  where  the  boys  were,  who 
they  were,  and  how  it  happened  that  they  fell 
to  talking  of  this  subject.  Then  give  their  con- 
versation.    Why  did  they  stop  talking  ? 


CHAPTER  III. 

SENTENCES. 
SYNONYMS. 

A  SENTENCE  is  a  complete  thought  expressed  in 
words.  Yet,  even  when  the  thought  has  been  ex- 
pressed so  that  the  writer  understands  it,  it  may- 
be in  words  that  puzzle  the  reader.  A  college 
botany  contains  such  long,  hard  words  that  pupils 
in  the  seventh  year  at  school  cannot  understand 
them.  And  a  pupil  in  the  seventh  year  may  use 
words  that  would  be  too  hard  for  his  little  sister. 
He  may  say  to  her,  "  The  earth  is  surrounded  by 
the  atmosphere,"  but  the  child  cannot  understand 
him  because  the  word  "  atmosphere  "  is  new.  She 
would  understand,  "  The  earth  is  surrounded  by 
air."  The  thought  is  the  same  in  both  cases, 
but  there  is  a  difference  in  the  expression  of  the 
thought. 

Take  another  example,  this  time  a  little  harder. 
When  "  good  George  Herbert "  said,  years  ago, 
"  This  coat  with  my  discretion,  will  be  brave,"  he 
expressed  a  complete  and  a  beautiful  thought ;  yet 
it  is  possible  that  at  the  first  reading  it  has  not 
been  comprehended.     Two  words  have  been  used 


76  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

which  are  not  understood.  '^Discretion"  means 
"  good  judgment  in  regard  to  one's  own  conduct ; " 
and  two  hundred  years  ago  it  meant  "  good  man- 
ners/' or  "  politeness."  One  definition  of  the  other 
word,  "  brave/'  is  "  making  a  fine  display ;  elegant ; 
showy ;  spruce."  So  the  same  thought  might  be 
written  to-day,  "  This  coat,  with  my  fine  manners, 
will  be  elegant."  George  Herbert,  being  of  good 
family,  a  rector  of  the  Church  of  England,  and  a 
poet  of  no  mean  reputation,  did  not  fear  to  wear 
a  coat  that  was  not  quite  new,  for  no  one  would 
criticise  the  coat  of  a  true  gentleman. 

A  thought,  then,  may  be  v expressed  in  different 
ways  by  the  use  of  different  words.  Words  which 
may  be  put  into  the  place  of  other  words  without 
greatly  changing  the  meaning  of  the  sentence  are 
called  synonyms. 

A  synonym  is  one  of  two  or  more  words  having  the 
same  or  like  meaning. 

Exercise. 
In  "  The  Great  Stone  Face  "  the  following  words 
are  used  for  face :  features^  visage^  lineaments, 
aspect,  countenance,  and  physiognomy.  They  do 
not  mean  exactly  the  same.  Be  ready  to  tell  the 
meaning  of  these  words.  Use  the  correct  ones  in 
the  sentences. 

1.  His sharp  and  angular. 

2.  From  the of  his  face  he  was  considered  a  strict, 

hard  man. 

3.  This of  the  case  is  encouraging. 


THE  GREAT   STONE   FACE 


Froin  a  photograph 


SENTENCES  79 

4.  Sheridan  had  a  battle-scarred . 

6.  He  had  made  a  study  of . 

Exercise, 

Use  correctly  in  sentences  synonyms  for  the 
following  words,  taken  from  "  The  Great  Stone 
Face  "  :  industrious,  energy ,  benign,  truculent,  con- 
fiding, affectionate. 

Composition  Exercise, 

Write  a  paragraph  upon  the  thought  suggested 
by  the  sentence  taken  from  George  Herbert.  One 
of  the  following  topic  sentences  may  be  a  help  :  — 

Wealth  may  buy  clothes,  but  not  refinement. 
A  man  that  judges  people  by  their  clothes  may  be  easily 
mistaken. 

A  man  is  known  by  the  clothes  he  wears. 

Or,  write  an  incident  in  which  you  were  sur- 
prised to  learn  which  was  the  little  lady  or  the 
true  gentleman. 

SYNONYMS. 

It  is  very  common  for  persons  to  think  that  all 
synonyms  have  the  same  meaning,  w^hile  it  is  prob- 
ably true  that  very  few  words  have  exactly  the 
same  meaning.  The  words  "  air  "  and  "  atmo- 
sphere "  are  excellent  examples  of  good  synonyms. 
Yet  they  cannot  always  be  used  one  for  the  other. 
We  speak  of  the  "  airs  of  heaven,"  meaning  the 
breezes,  and  we  say  "  he  puts  on  airs  "  ;  in  neither 


80  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

case  can  we  substitute  "  atmosphere  "  for  "  air." 
Even  such  common  words  as  ''  large  "  and  "  great," 
"  little  "  and  "  small,"  cannot  be  used  interchange- 
ably in  all  cases,  though  they  seem  to  be  perfect 
synonyms.  There  is  certainly  a  difference  between 
"  a  large  man  "  and  "  a  great  man  "  ;  and  it  hurts 
one's  feelings  to  be  called  "  small,"  when  he  is  by 
no  means  "little."  One  word  very  rarely  means 
just  the  same  as  another ;  and  it  is  our  business  to 
learn  when  to  take  one  word  and  leave  another. 
This  Hawthorne  knew  as  well  as  any  other  writer 
in  the  world.  During  the  study  of  "  The  Great 
Stone  Face,"  particular  attention  will  be  given  to 
his  choice  of  words. 

WORD   STUDY. 
The  Great  Stone  Face.     Paragraphs  1-3. 

Give  synonyms  for  spacious^  rich,  compelled, 
difficulty  gifty  and  phenomenon.  Would  the  words 
big,  wealthy^  driven,  hard,  present,  and  appear- 
ance do  as  well  as  the  words  Hawthorne  has  used  ? 
Put  them  into  sentences  and  try  them.  What  is 
the  relation  between  "  family  "  and  "  familiarity  "  ? 
What  is  the  real  meaning  of  "  rivulet "  ?  What 
does  the  ending,  1-e-t,  do  to  the  meaning  of  a 
word  ?  Think  of  two  other  words  that  have  been 
changed  in  this  way.  Do  you  see  a  word  in  its 
first  syllable  that  helps  you  to  understand  the 
word  "  neighbors  "  ?  What  word  does  Hawthorne 
use   to  make  the  rivulet  seem  a  live  thing  ?     Do 


SENTENCES  81 

you  like  it  ?  What  is  the  topic  of  the  whole  of 
paragraph  three  ?  Do  you  find  it  expressed  ?  If 
so,  in  what  words  ? 

Composition  Exercise. 

Describe  some  peculiar  natural  formation  of 
rocks  which  you  have  seen.  It  does  not  need  to 
be  as  strange  as  a  face  carved  out  of  the  rocks. 
It  may  be  just  a  pillar  of  stone  like  a  chimney  ;  or 
possibly  a  wall  of  stone,  something  like  the  Pali- 
sades ;  or  perhaps  you  have  seen  some  picture  upon 
the  rocks. 

Or,  describe  a  brook  that  you  have  sometime 
seen ;  or  better,  the  one  you  have  played  in  often. 
Or,  if  you  have  not  had  that  pleasure,  tell  of  the 
fun  you  have  had  building  dams  across  little 
streams  in  the  spring. 

WORD    STUDY. 
The  Great  Stone  Face.     Paragraphs  4-10. 

Would  it  be  in  good  taste  to  say,  ''  the  majestic 
playfulness  "  of  spaniels  ?  of  lions  ?  What  words 
has  Hawthorne  used  in  paragraph  4  for  "face  "  ? 
for  "  very  large  "  ?  Of  what  value  are  so  many 
words  meaning  nearly  the  same  ?  Is  there  any 
relation  between  "  normal  "  and  "  enormous  "  ? 
Would  you  like  "  thunderous  accents  "  as  well  as 
"  thunder  accents  "  ?  Is  there  a  difference  between 
"  further  "  and  "  farther  "  ?  Give  words  that  might 
be  used  instead  of  sculptured^  likeness,  positively^ 


82  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

gianty  intact,  and  chaotic.  Would  you  change 
these  ?  What  is  the  topic  sentence  of  this  para- 
graph ?     Is  it  expressed  ? 

Give  synonyms  for  forefathers,  purport,  des- 
tined, ardor,  prophecy,  inhabited.  Are  you  glad 
that  Hawthorne  used  ''  murmured  "  and  "  whis- 
pered "  instead  of  ''  told  "  ?  Is  there  any  reason 
why  Indians,  not  white  men,  should  first  have 
learned  this  story  from  the  woods  and  streams  ? 
Why  does  he  use  '^  personage  "  instead  of  "  man  '* 
or  "  person  "  ?  Is  "  idle  tale  "  better  than  "  made- 
up  story  "  ?  Do  you  feel  any  difference  between 
''  watched  and  waited  till  they  were  weary  "  and 
"  looked  for  and  waited  till  they  were  tired "  ? 
Which  do  you  prefer  ?  What  word  could  be  used 
for  "  not  a  few "  ?  Which  is  more  emphatic  ? 
What  is  the  subject  of  paragraph  10?  Is  it  ex- 
pressed ?  If  not,  make  a  topic  sentence  for  the 
paragraph. 

Exercise. 

The  paragraph  below  is  a  description  of  a  snow 
storm  in  old  Paris.  The  cathedral  of  Notre  Dame 
is  on  an  island  in  the  Seine  River.  This  cathedral 
and  this  island  are  the  ones  spoken  of  in  the  para- 
graph. What  is  tracery?  a  niche  ?  a  crocket  ?  a 
gargoyle  ? 

In  the  parentheses  are  a  number  of  words  which 
might  be  used  in  the  several  places.  Pick  out  the 
one  which  you  think  Stevenson  has  used  in  writing 
this  good  description. 


SENTENCES  83 

The  air  was  raw  and  (sharp,  pointed,  chill,  cold),  but 
not  far  below  freezing ;  and  the  flakes  were  large,  damp, 
and  (adhesive,  sticky).  The  whole  city  was  sheeted  up. 
An  army  might  have  (marched,  moved,  walked,  trod)  from 
end  to  end  and  not  a  footfall  given  the  (alarm,  warning). 
If  there  were  any  (late,  tardy,  belated)  birds  in  heaven, 
they  saw  the  island  like  a  large  white  patch,  and  the 
bridges  like  (slim,  slender,  delicate)  white  spars,  on  the 
black  ground  of  the  river.  High  up  over  head  the  snow 
(fell,  settled,  sifted)  among  the  tracery  of  the  cathedral 
(towers,  spires).  Many  a  niche  was  (piled,  drifted)  full ; 
many  a  statue  wore  a  long  white  bonnet  on  its  (funny, 
queer,  grotesque)  or  sainted  head.  The  gargoyles  had  been 
transformed  into  (large,  huge,  enormous,  vast,  great)  false 
noses,  drooping  towards  the  point.  The  crockets  were 
like  upright  pillows  swollen  on  one  side.  In  the  intervals 
of  the  wind,  there  was  a  (monotonous,  quiet,  dull,  unchan- 
ging) sound  of  dripping  about  the  precincts  of  the  church. 
Stevenson,  from  A  Lodging   or  the  Night. 

Composition  Exercise. 

Tell  the  story  which  Ernest's  mother  told  him 
of  the  prophecy  regarding  ^^The  Great  Stone 
Face."  In  writing  it,  introduce  the  questions  that 
Ernest  was  likely  to  ask  his  mother  while  she  was 
telling  it.  Was  Ernest  a  boy  with  a  head  older 
than  his  years  ?  If  you  think  so,  be  sure  that  he 
asks  questions  that  older  persons  would  ask.  Do 
not  forget  the  rules  for  the  punctuation  of  quota- 
tions.    See  page  2. 


84  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

WOBD   STUDY. 

Below  are  two  groups  of  synonyms.  Write  the 
definition  of  each  word.  Put  the  proper  words 
into  the  blanks  below.     Use  each  word  but  once. 

1.  Hospitahle^  /^'^e,  generous^  liberal^  charitable^ 
princely^  munificent. 

2.  Unkind^  unfriendly^  harsh^  cruel ^  unmerciful^  irihu- 
man. 

The  gifts  made  by  Mr.  Carnegie  to  colleges  and  libraries 

are and . 

We  find  many  persons who  cannot  be . 


The  homes  of  farmers  are  generally  ,  but  rarely 


He  founded  many  institutions  by  his  mu- 
nificence. 

The  Hindoos  sometimes  throw  their  children  to  the 
Ganges.     Such  acts  seem  to  us . 

The  treatment  of  the  physician  was . 


The  behavior  of  Emperor  Nero  was  certainly ,  if  it 

may  not  be  termed . 

Exercise. 

A  little  boy,  born  in  a  valley  so  deep  that  he  had 
never  seen  beyond  his  mountains,  one  day  asked 
the  miller  where  the  river  went.  The  miller  was 
a  simple  man,  and  answered  in  simple  words.  Be 
very  careful  not  to  use  big,  hard  words  which  the 
miller  would  not  use. 

After  you  have  written  it  carefully  and  the  class 
has  helped  you  to  decide  what  words  are  best,  the 
teacher  will  dictate  tae  beautiful  paragraph  to  you, 


SENTENCES  85 

just  as  Stevenson  wrote  it,  that  you  may  write  it 
again,  punctuating  and  spelling  correctly. 

It  goes  down  the  (vale,  gully,  glen,  valley,  dale),  an- 
swered he,  and  turns  a  power  of  mills  —  six  score  mills, 
they  say,  from  here  to  Unterdeck  —  and  it  is  none  the 
(wearier,  more  tired,  more  exhausted,  fainter)  after  all. 
And  then  it  goes  out  (into,  in)  the  lowlands,  and  waters 
the  (great,  large,  vast)  corn  country,  and  runs  through  a 
sight  of  (rich,  flourishing,  powerful,  fine)  cities  (so  they 
say)  where  kings  live  all  alone  in  great  palaces,  with  a 
(guard,  sentry,  watchman)  walking  up  and  down  before 
the  door.  And  it  (goes,  flows,  loiters)  under  bridges  with 
stone  men  upon  them,  looking  down  and  smiling  so  (strange, 
curious,  queer)  at  the  water,  and  living  folks  (resting,  lean- 
ing) their  elbows  on  the  wall  and  looking  over  too.  And 
then  it  goes  on  and  on,  and  down  through  marshes  and 
sands,  until  at  last  it  (falls,  drops,  flows,  empties)  into 
the  sea,  where  the  ships  are  that  bring  parrots  and  tobacco 
from  the  Indies.  Ay,  it  has  a  long  trot  before  it  as  it  goes 
singing  over  our  weir,  bless  (it 's,  its)  heart. 

Stevenson,  from  Will  o'  the  Mill, 

Exercise. 
There  is  a  picture  of  "  The  Great  Stone  Face  " 
on  page  77.  Write  a  description  of  it  as  it  appears 
to  you.  Never  mind  what  Hawthorne  says  about 
it.  Tell  only  what  you  see  in  that  great  face  on 
the  mountain  side. 

WOKD    STUDY. 
The  Great  Stone  Face.     Paragraphs  13-15. 

Give  synonyms  for  never ^  forget,  pensive,  mild, 
unobtrusive,  intelligence,  veneration,  confiding,  dis- 


86  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

cerned^  recognized^  peculiar.  Do  you  like  "  little 
hands  "  as  well  as  "  small  hands  "  ?  What  is  the 
difference  between  "  loving  heart "  and  "  affec- 
tion "  ?  "  Save  only  "  are  used  instead  of  what 
word  ?  Read  the  sentence  aloud,  substituting  the 
synonym.  Do  you  like  it  ?  Why  did  Hawthorne 
not  say,  "  this  was  not  a  mistake/'  or,  "  this  was 
surely  so/'  instead  of  the  sentence  beginning, "  We 
must  not  take  upon  us  to  affirm,"  etc.  ?  What  is 
the  subject  of  paragraph  13  ?  Form  a  topic  sen- 
tence. 

Tell  the  different  meanings  of  these  words: 
migrate^  emigrate^  immigrate.  Define  surna7ne^ 
given  name,  Christian  name,  nickname.  The  last 
word  has  a  peculiar  origin.  Consult  an  unabridged 
dictionary.  Give  synonyms  for  inscrutable,  efful- 
gence, original  commodity.  Is  "  bulky-bottomed  " 
better  than  "  very  large  "  ?  Look  up  the  origin  of 
'^accumulation."  Is  there  any  special  fitness  of 
the  words  "  mountainous  "  and  "  accumulation  "  for 
each  other  ?  You  will  be  interested  in  the  origin 
of  the  word  ''  sterling."  Look  in  Webster's  Inter- 
national Dictionary.  Make  a  topic  sentence  for 
paragraph  14. 

In  paragraph  15,  what  word  has  already  been 
used  which  means  "  similitude  "  ?  Why  ^^  edifice  " 
and  not  "  house  "  ?  Is  "  splendid  "  a  good  word 
here ?  May  you  say  ''  a  splendid  diamond "  ?  "a 
splendid  servant "  ?  "a  splendid  time  "  ?  Is  a 
piazza  a  portico  ?    Would  you  prefer  to  have  had 


SENTENCES  87 

the  interior  of  the  house  described  in  detail  ?  or  is 
it  more  beautiful  because  the  details  have  been  left 
to  the  imagination  ? 

£Jxercise. 

In  order  that  you  may  have  some  good  words  to 
describe  the  character  in  the  next  composition, 
make  a  list  of  adjectives  which  Hawthorne  has 
used  to  present  Gathergold. 

Put  eight  of  these  into  sentences.  Possibly  you 
would  prefer  to  write  a  paragraph  using  these  ad- 
jectives in  a  description  of  a  character. 

The  following  is  a  sketch  of  one  of  Dickens's 
characters.     It  has  some  good  adjectives. 

Oh  !  but  he  was  a  tight-fisted  hand  at  the  grindstone, 
Scrooge !  a  squeezing,  wrenching,  grasping,  scraping, 
clutching,  covetous,  old  sinner  !  Hard  and  sharp  as  flint, 
from  which  no  steel  had  ever  struck  out  generous  fire ; 
secret,  and  self-contained,  and  solitary  as  an  oyster.  The 
cold  within  him  froze  his  old  features,  nipped  his  pointed 
nose,  shrivelled  his  cheek,  stiffened  his  gait ;  made  his  eyes 
red,  his  thin  lips  blue ;  and  spoke  out  shrewdly  in  his 
grating  voice.  A  frosty  rime  was  on  his  head,  and  on  his 
eyebrows,  and  his  wiry  chin.  He  carried  his  own  low 
temperature  always  about  with  him ;  he  iced  his  office  in 
the  dog-days ;  and  did  n't  thaw  it  one  degree  at  Christ- 
mas. Dickens,  from  A  Christmas  Carol 

Composition  Exercise. 

The  subject  for  the  composition  this  week  is  an 
original  incident  in  the  life  of  a  miser ;  or  some 
story  you  know  of  a  very  stingy  man. 


88  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

If  you  do  not  know  one,  or  cannot  imagine  one, 
the  following  outline  may  be  used. 

It  was  just  after  dusk.  My  brother  and  I  had  arrived 
in  the  outskirts  of  Waconia,  where  the  houses  are  scat- 
tered about  much  like  haystacks  in  a  meadow.  A  gleam 
from  a  low  hovel  attracted  us ;  we  could  figure  out  in  the 
distance  a  man  ;  we  crept  quietly  up  to  the  window  to  see 
what  he  was  doing.  Rising  stealthily  from  our  knees  we 
beheld  — 

Go  on  with  your  story,  first  giving  a  description 
of  the  room,  then  the  man,  and  last  tell  what  he 
was  doing.  Tell  how  you  got  away.  Possibly  he 
saw  you. 

ANTONYMS. 

In  the  preceding  section  we  have  learned  that  a 
thought  may  be  expressed  in  more  ways  than  one, 
by  using  words  that  have  similar  meanings.  By 
the  use  of  synonyms  a  writer  may  be  better  un- 
derstood; and  he  can  give  to  his  composition 
greater  variety  of  expression,  and  avoid  the  mo- 
notony of  frequent  repetition. 

The  following  phrases,  taken  from  "  The  Great 
Stone  Face,"  illustrate  another  method  of  expres- 
sion :  — 

Not  a  few  old-fashioned  people. 

Hardly  anybody. 

No  ordinary  men. 

No  high  purpose. 

But  not  in  vain  had  he  grown  old. 


SENTENCES  89 

In  these  phrases  notice  that  there  is  always  a 
negative,  —  "  no,"  or  "  not/'  or  "  hardly/'  or  some 
similar  word.  "  He  was  by  no  means  a  small  man  " 
means  "  he  was  a  large  man."  "  The  water  is 
tepid  "  may  not  be  understood  by  all ;  but  should 
it  be  written,  "  the  water  is  not  very  warm/'  every 
one  would  know  what  is  meant.  So  our  sentence 
from  "  good  George  Herbert/'  on  page  75,  can  be 
made  to  read,  "  This  coat,,  with  my  discretion,  will 
not  seem  old." 

Notice,  in  the  second  place,  that  the  word  or 
words  which  follow  the  negative  are  opposed  in 
meaning  to  the  words  which  we  should  employ 
in  an  affirmative  statement  of  the  same  thought. 
Thus  "few"  and  "many"  are  opposed  in  mean- 
ing; and  "  not  a  few  "  means  "  many."  So  "  small " 
and  "  large,"  "  rich  "  and  "  poor,"  "  weak  "  and 
"  powerful,"  are  sets  of  words  of  opposite  mean- 
ing. Such  words  are  called  antonyms;  and  the 
method  of  expression  which  employs  antonyms  may 
be  termed  denying  the  opposite. 

An  antonym  is  one  of  two  words  opposite,  or  nearly- 
opposite,  in  their  meaning. 

WORD   STUDY. 

What  are  antonyms  of  good^  sharp^  thin,  little, 
far-off,  true,  famous,  folly,  high,  idle  ?  You  will 
find  help  in  the  dictionary. 

Use  their  antonyms  in  sentences. 


90  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

Composition  Exercise. 

Do  you  think  that  you  would  have  thought 
Gathergold  stingy  if  you  had  only  seen  him  ? 
What  was  there  about  him  to  make  you  think  so  ? 
Did  you  see  it  in  his  eyes  ?  in  his  mouth  ?  in  his 
forehead  ?  Did  his  hands  look  generous  ?  Was 
he  looking  about  to  see  some  one  to  help  ?  Can 
you  tell  by  the  looks  of  a  person  what  kind  of 
man  he  is  ?  Have  you  a  clear  picture  of  a  sweet 
old  lady  ?  of  a  jolly  man  ?  of  a  cruel  boy  ?  of  a 
cross  policeman  ?  of  a  patient  mother  ?  Do  you 
think  that  everybody  could  see  in  the  face  what 
you  see  there  ?  Gathergold  looked  like  a  mean, 
stingy  man :  and  he  was  all  that.  Can  you  write 
a  description  of  some  person  so  that  we  shall  know 
and  feel  what  kind  of  a  person  it  is  ?     Try  it. 

Or,  write  a  paragraph  upon  this  topic  sentence  : 

A  man's  character  usually  gets  itself  plainly  written 
upon  his  face. 

Or  this :  — 

Little  children  are  very  quick  to  detect  a  man's  nature 
by  a  glance  at  his  face. 

AVOKD  STUDY. 
The  Great  Stone  Face.     Paragraphs  16-24. 

What  has  Hawthorne  used  instead  of  "  Ernest 
was  stirred  not  a  little  "  ?  "  Ernest  believed  "  ? 
"  was  not  false  "  ?  ^"  looked  not  unkindly  "  ?  To 
your  mind  is  "  vast "  as  large  as  "  great "  ?     Give 


SENTENCES  91 

synonyms  for  harbingers,  manifest,  7nagnificent, 
fancying.  The  English  use  the  word  "  fancy " 
very  often,  much  as  we  use  the  word  "  think/'  and 
the  word  "  guess."  Which  do  you  think  is  better 
in  this  paragraph  ?  Form  a  topic  sentence  for 
paragraph  16. 

What  are  the  antonyms  of  the  following  words : 
small,  innumerable,  doleful,  greatly,  wrinkled,  be- 
nign, sordid  ?  What  synonyms  of  "  image  "  has 
Hawthorne  already  used  ?  Does  "  piteously  "  mean 
the  same  as  "  pitifully  "  ?  What  is  the  topic  sen- 
tence of  paragraph  20  ? 

Give  synonyms  of  meditate,  sentiment,  com- 
muned, counterjmrt,  marvelous.  May  you  say, 
'*  I  don't  meditate  that  I  shall  leave  town  to- 
day "  ?  May  you  say,  "  I  am  going  adown  town 
to-day "  ?  Notice  that  "  They  knew  not  "  has 
been  used  twice,  and  then  "  Neither  did  Ernest 
know."  Would  you  have  liked  it  as  well,  had  it 
been  ^^And  Ernest  knew  not"?  What  is  the 
topic  of  paragraph  24  ? 

Exercise. 
Frame  sentences  using  the  following  words.  Then 
write  the  same  thoughts  in  another  group  of  sen- 
tences using  antonyms  of  these  words.     These  last 
sentences  will  deny  the  opposite. 

benign  low  mean  doubted 

true  small  noble  industrious 

Example  :  Gathergold's  face  was  hard. 

Gathergold's  face  was  by  no  means  kind. 


92  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Exercise, 

In  the  paragraph  below^  change  the  words  in 
italics  to  or  from  the  form  which  denies  the  op- 
posite; and  for  the  words  in  small  capitals  use 
synonyms.  The  class  should  write  the  paragraph 
from  dictation,  when  it  has  been  determined  what 
words  are  to  be  used.  The  punctuation  should  be 
correct. 

This  garden  John  has  no  fondness  for.  He  would 
rather  hoe  corn  all  day  than  work  in  it.  Father  seems  to 
think  that  it  is  easy  work  that  John  can  do,  because  it  is 
not  far  from  the  house  !  John's  continual  plan  in  this 
life  is  to  go  fishing.  When  there  comes  a  rainy  day,  he 
ATTEMPTS  to  carry  it  out.  But  ten  chances  to  one  his 
father  has  different  views.  As  it  rains  so  that  work 
cannot  be  done  in  the  field,  it  is  not  a  had  time  to  work 
in  the  garden.  He  can  run  into  the  house  between  the 
heavy  showers.  John  accordingly  does  not  love  the 
garden ;  and  the  only  time  he  works  briskly  is  when  he 
has  a  stent  set,  to  do  so  much  weeding  before  the  Fourth 
of  July.  Warner,  fom  Being  a  Boy, 

Composition  Exercise. 

Tell  of  a  generous  act  by  a  poor  person,  either 
a  child  or  an  adult.  Generosity  is  quite  as  often 
shown  when  there  is  no  money  spent  or  given  as 
when  there  is.  Be  very  careful  in  the  choice  of 
words.  Do  not  put  down  the  first  one  that  comes 
into  your  head,  but  think  which  of  a  number  of 
words  best  says  what  you  wish  to  say.     Try  to 


SENTENCES  93 

use  a  few  sentences  which  make  a  denial  of  the 
opposite.  Remember  that  variety  of  expression 
gives  strength  and  beauty  to  your  composition. 

"  No  deed  is  little  if  but  greatly  done." 

FOR  MEMORIZING. 

It  IS  not  growing  like  a  tree 
In  bulk,  doth  make  Man  better  be ; 
Or  standing  long  an  oak,  three  hundred  year, 
To  fall  a  log  at  last,  dry,  bald,  and  sere ; 
A  lily  of  a  day 
Is  fairer  far  in  May, 
Although  it  fall  and  die  that  night  — 
It  was  the  plant  and  flower  of  light. 
In  small  proportions  we  just  beauties  see; 
And  in  short  measures  life  may  perfect  be. 

Ben  Jonson,  from  Underwoods. 

CONTRASTS. 

The  form  of  expression  which  we  have  been 
studying  has  a  variation  which  may  give  the  sen- 
tence more  emphasis  and  clearness.  To  say,  "  The 
sea  is  held  in  check  by  a  beach  of  sand  "  is  per- 
fectly clear.  But  the  whole  sentence  is  much 
stronger :  "  The  sea  is  held  in  check,  not  by  a  wall 
of  brick,  but  by  a  beach  of  sand."  The  contrast 
between  the  ''  wall  of  brick  "  and  the  "  beach  of 
sand  "  gives  great  emphasis  to  a  thought  which 
before  was  perfectly  clear.  So  if  one  read  "  Olive 
oil  is  made  from  olives/'  he  might  easily  think  that 


94  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

olive  oil  is  extracted  from  such  olives  as  we  eat. 
A  clearer  expression  is  this :  "  Olive  oil  is  extracted, 
not  from  the  green  olives  which  we  eat,  but  from 
the  ripened  fruit."  By  the  contrast,  the  sentence 
has  become  clearer. 

This  kind  of  sentence  construction  may  be 
termed  the  method  of  contrast.  It  is  a  combina- 
tion of  an  affirmative  statement  and  the  expres- 
sion denying  the  opposite.  It  is  used  for  variety, 
for  clearness,  and  for  emphasis. 

Exercise. 
Using  the  method  of  contrast,  fill  the  blanks  in 
the  following  sentences  :  — 

1.  The  earth  is  not  flat,  as  was  once  believed,  but 


2.  Oranges  grow,  not  on  tall  trees,  but  on 


3.  When  it  leaves  Lake  Itasca,  the  Mississippi  is  not 
a  full  river,  but . 

4.  People  judge  character,  not  so  much  by  what  we  say, 
as  by . 

5.  In  Europe  the  houses  are  built  of  stone  and  brick, 
not,  as  in  America  so  frequently, . 

6.  The  English  language  has  been  made,  not  by  one 
people,  but . 

7.  Greatness  consists,  not  in  never  falling,  but  

every  time  we  fall. 


WORD  STUDY. 
The  Great  Stone  Face.     Paragraphs  25-33. 

What  words  already  used  are  synonyms  of 
"  odd  "  ?  Give  synonyms  for  consigned^  decease^ 
illustrious^  infirm^  turmoil^  vista,  relicy  ruthlessly. 


SENTENCES  95 

Express  negatively  "  had  been  exceedingly  like/' 
^'  served  the  more/'  "  a  mighty  crown." 

Tell  the  meanings  of  the  words  resemblance^  sim- 
ilarityy  similitude^  likeness^  counterparty  picture. 
What  is  the  difference  between  "  glancing "  and 
"  gazing  "  in  paragraph  26  ?  Change  the  places 
of  the  two  words.  What  effect  is  produced  by 
the  change  ?  Is  it  right  to  say  "  a  sylvan  ban- 
quet "  ?  Is  it  right  to  say  "  a  wooded  banquet "  ? 
"  a  sylvan  youth  "  ?  "a  rustic  glade  "  ?  What 
is  the  meaning  of  "  anxious "  ?  Is  it  proper  to 
say  ''  I  am  anxious  for  a  new  dress  "  ?  What  is 
meant  by  "  quite  "  in  the  sentence,  Ernest  was 
thrust  "quite  into  the  background"  ?  Is  "quite" 
used  correctly  in  the  common  expressions  "  quite 
sick/'  "  quite  rich/'  " quite  late"  ?  What  does  the 
word  "  quite  "  mean  when  we  say  "  he  is  not 
quite  well "  ?  or  "  he  is  not  quite  the  man  we 
wish  "  ?  "  he  has  not  quite  finished  "  ?  There  is 
seldom  a  mistake  in  the  use  of  "quite"  after 
"  not."  Do  we  use  it  correctly  in  other  cases  ? 
Give  synonyms  and  antonyms  for  energy,  an  iron 
willy  eminent,  beneficence^  quiet,  humble.  Haw- 
thorne uses  "  wanting  "  correctly.  Is  it  correct  to 
say  "  I  want  to  go  home "  ?  or,  "  The  picture 
wants  dignity  and  repose  "  ?  What  word  do  we 
commonly  use  "  want "  for  ?  Hawthorne  has  used 
"  uttered  "  for  "  spoke  "  ;  "  auditors  "  for  "  listen- 
ers " ;  "  mankind  "  for  "  people  "  ;  "  contagious  " 
for  "  catching  "  ;  "  aged  "  for  "  old  "  j   "  vocifer- 


96  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

ous  "  for  ''  noisy."     Why  ?     Give  topic  sentences 
for  paragraphs  27,  31,  33. 

Exercise, 
Here  are  several  phrases  to  be  used  in  the  exer- 
cises  below.     They  are   to   be   arranged   in  the 
following  blanks  so  as  to  form  contrasts.     They 
are  all  needed,  but  none  should  be  used  twice. 

of  the  ripened  scholar  the  study  of  a  text  book 

work  one's  luck 

what  he  saves  noisy  brawling 

worry  experiment  in  a  laboratory 

a  noisy  politician  a  wimpling  murmur 

one's  industry  what  one  earns 

1.  It  is  not which  kills  men  ;  it  is . 

2.  Emerson's  was  the  eloquence , 

not  of . 

3.  Success  depends  not  on ,  but  on 


4.  The  little  brook  gleamed  down  the  hillside  not  with 
-,  but  with 


6.  The  study  of  physics  is  pursued  now  not  by 

,  but  by . 

6.  Wealth  is  attained  by ,  not  by . 

Compositwn  Exercise. 
Write  a  paragraph  contrasting  Blood-and-Thun- 
der  whom  Ernest  saw,  and  the  ideal  man  he  had 
hoped  to  see.     A  few  sentences  may  assist  you  to 
get  started. 

Ernest  was  disappointed.     There  before  him  was  the 
man  he  had  long  expected ;  but  instead  of  .     Where 


SENTENCES  97 

he  had  looked  for  .     His  mind  had  fancied  . 

Old  Blood-and-Thunder  was ,  not . 

Go  on  with  the  contrast. 

WOKD    STUDY. 

Here  are  four  groups  of  synonyms.  Many  mis- 
takes are  made  in  the  use  of  some  of  these  words. 
Study  them  carefully  in  the  dictionary.  Insert 
them  in  the  sentences  below. 

1.  Enormous,  gigantic,  mighty,  vast,  great. 

2.  Little,  tiny,  minute,  small. 

3.  Broad,  wide. 

4.  High,  lofty,  tall. 

1.  quantities  of  coal  have  been  mined  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

2.  oaks  from acorns  grow. 

3.  Nimrod  was  a hunter. 

4.  The  redwood  trees  of  California  are . 

5.  Steam  is particles  of  heated  water. 

6.  Napoleon  was  a man. 

7.  A child  shall  lead  them. 

8.  A brook  trickled  over  the  moss. 

9.  prairies  cover  the  central  part  of  America. 

10.  We  could  see  several  miles  up  the valley. 

11.  This  cloth  is than  that. 

12.  We  were  surrounded  by mountains. 

13.  My  brother  is than  I. 

14.  He  gets marks  at  school. 

COMPAKISONS. 

There  is  still  another  way  in  which  a  thought 
may  be  expressed.     Besides   using   other  words. 


98  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

synonyms  and  antonyms,  one  may  tell  how  one 
thing  looks  or  acts  by  comparing  its  appearance  or 
actions  with  that  of  some  other  more  familiar  ob- 
ject. If  a  boy  from  the  South  had  not  seen  a 
snowball,  it  would  be  easy  to  give  him  a  very  ac- 
curate idea  of  its  size  and  shape  by  telling  him  that 
it  is  about  as  large  and  is  shaped  much  the  same 
as  an  orange.  So  of  the  snowfall,  it  might  be  said 
that  it  looks  like  small  flakes  of  cotton  dropping 
from  the  clouds. 

1.  The  earth  is  shaped  like  an  orange  or  a  ball. 

2.  A  panther  looks  like  a  large  cat. 

3.  The  leaves  of  some  Nile  lilies  are  very  large  and 
flat ;  and  they  are  turned  up  at  the  edge  so  that  they  look 
like  a  giant's  pie-tins  floating  on  the  water. 

4.  "  The  grizzly  bear  looked  like  a  fur-clad  omnibus 
coming  through  the  trees." 

5.  A  sheep  chews  its  cud  as  a  cow  does. 

6.  The  air  lifts  a  balloon  as  the  water  lifts  a  ship. 

7.  Millions  of  years  ago  the  moon  flew  from  the  hot 
whirling  earth,  just  as  water  flies  from  a  turning  grind- 
stone. 

In  the  first  four  sentences,  "  like  "  has  been 
used ;  and  in  the  last  three,  "  as "  has  been  em- 
ployed. It  would  be  entirely  wrong  to  use  "like'* 
in  the  last  three  sentences.  This  very  common 
expression  is  incorrect :  "  Do  it  like  I  do  "  ;  and  so 
is  this:  "He  laughs  just  like  his  father  used  to." 
"  Like  "  is  a  little  word  to  watch ;  "  as  "  will  usu- 
ally be  found  in  its  proper  place.     After  studying 


SENTENCES  \^^  /;,^  :     :  ; .  [W: 

the  examples  carefully,  make  a  rule  which  will  tell 
the  class  when  they  are  not  to  use  "  like." 

Uxercise, 

Finish  the  following  sentences  with  a  comparison 
which  will  make  the  thought  clear. 
1.  A  snowball  looks  like . 


2.  It  was  a  peculiar  old  chest  shaped  like 


3.  This  poor  house  where  they  were  living  seemed  more 
like . 

4.  Coral  grows  in  many  forms,  some  of  them . 


6.  The  engineer  swings  a  bridge  across  the  river  just  as 
a  spider . 

7.  Kerosene  rises  on  water  as . 


8.  Attraction  holds  the  earth  in  its  orbit  as 


Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  letter  to  Edouardo  Vallejo,  living  in 
Manila,  describing  a  sleigh-ride.  It  will  be  neces- 
sary to  tell  him  about  snow  and  sleds,  what  the 
weather  is,  and  how  we  fix  up  to  keep  warm.  To 
do  this  so  that  he  will  understand  will  require  fre- 
quent use  of  comparisons. 

If  your  home  is  in  the  South,  write  to  a  boy  or 
girl  in  Winnipeg,  describing  some  sport  which  the 
children  at  the  North  know  nothing  of,  so  that  he 
will  have  a  good  idea  of  the  fun  there  is  in  it. 


COMPARISONS. 


In  the  preceding  exercise,  comparisons  have  been 
used  for  clearer  expression  of  the  thought.     Such 


1-00  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

comparisons  help  the  reader  to  understand  what 
has  been  written.  In  the  sentences  which  follow, 
the  purpose  is  different. 

1.  The  little  child  is  like  a  fresh  flower. 

2.  Some  of  Eubens's  paintings  glow  like  a  gorgeous 
sunset  sky. 

3.  The  morning  dew  sparkles  like  brilliant  diamonds. 

4.  The  fields  of  golden  grain  wave  in  the  sunlight  like 
the  billows  of  the  great  broad  ocean. 

5.  A  word  fitly  spoken  is  like  apples  of  gold  in  baskets 
of  silver. 

6.  As  clouds  and  wind  without  rain,  so  is  he  that 
boasteth  himself  of  his  gifts  falsely. 

In  addition  to  clearness,  such  sentences  add  force 
and  beauty  to  the  thought.  The  first  sentence 
might  have  read  :  ''  The  child  is  beautiful."  The 
meaning  of  the  two  sentences  would  have  been 
the  same.  "  The  little  child  is  like  a  flower/'  how- 
ever, does  more  than  make  clear  that  the  child  is 
not  ugly  in  appearance ;  it  asserts  that  fact,  but 
with  more  force  and  much  more  beauty  than  the 
simple  expression  "  The  child  is  beautiful,"  or 
"  The  child  is  not  ugly,"  or  even  "  The  little  child 
is  not  ugly,  but  beautiful." 

This  additional  point  should  be  noticed  about 
these  comparisons.  In  the  sentence  "  The  trunk  is 
like  a  box,"  there  are  many  points  of  resemblance 
between  the  objects  compared.  A  trunk  is  really 
like  a  box.  But  a  flower  is  not  really  like  a  child, 
—  except  in  one  quality.     Both  have  a  graceful 


SENTENCES  ;  101: 

beauty.  So,  when  Solomon  compared  a  boastful 
man  to  clouds  that  bring  no  rain,  he  meant  only 
that  in  both  cases  the  promise  of  help  fails.  In 
these  sentences  the  words,  then,  are  not  literally 
true.  The  comparison  is  true  only  in  one  point. 
Such  comparisons  are  called  figures  of  speech. 

"  A  leaden  weight  of  sorrow,"  "  a  heart  of 
flint,"  "whispering  breezes,"  are  examples  of 
words  used  in  an  uncommon  way.  Sorrow  is  not 
lead ;  but  a  great  sorrow  oppresses  the  heart  like 
a  leaden  weight.  A  flinty  heart  cannot  be  touched ; 
and  the  breezes  in  the  trees  make  a  noise  like 
whispers.  So  in  the  following  sentence,  "  Her  lips 
were  rubies,  and  her  teeth  were  pearls,"  nothing 
more  is  intended  than  that  her  lips  were  red  and 
her  teeth  were  white.  It  is  a  comparison  of  color 
only.  In  all  these  examples,  the  objects  compared 
are  unlike  ;  yet  they  have  one  quality  common 
to  both.  Such  expression  is  called  figurative ;  and 
when  natural,  not  forced,  figurative  language  has 
thrilling  power  and  beauty. 

Exercise. 

In  paragraphs  35  to  52  of  "  The  Great  Stone 
Face,"  find  ten  comparisons.  Not  all  of  them  need 
be  figures  of  speech.  Tell  which  are  figures ;  and 
of  the  figures  point  out  the  quality  in  which  the 
otgepts  compared  are  alike. 


102  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

FIGURES   OF   SPEECH. 

A  simile  is  an  expressed  comparison  between  unlike 
things. 

It  is  usually  introduced  by  such  words  as  lUce^  as^ 
as  if,  as  though,  as  when,  seemed,  appeared,  and 
similar  words  of  comparison.  ''  The  child  is  like  a 
fresh  young  flower/'  is  a  simile. 

A  metaphor  is  an  implied  comparison  between  un- 
like things. 

It  contains  no  word  indicating  the  comparison. 
"  Her  lips  were  rubies  and  her  teeth  were  pearls  " 
is  a  metaphor. 

Personification  is  a  figure  of  speech  which  ascribes 
to  abstract  ideas  and  inanimate  things  the  attributes 
of  living  beings. 

"  Sweet  is  the  breath  of  Morn,  her  rising  sweet  with 
charm  of  earliest  birds." 

In  this  sentence,  Morn  is  personified ;  that  is,  the 
abstract  idea  is  spoken  of  as  if  it  were  a  person. 

Exercise. 

In  the  following  sentences,  find  the  similes,  the 
metaphors,  and  the  personifications.  Some  sen- 
tences contain  an  example  of  each  of  the  three 
figures.  Tell  of  each  in  what  respect  the  objects 
compared  have  a  likeness. 

1.  Conscience  is  a  thorn  in  the  bosom  to  prick  and 
sting. 

2.  Prayer  is  a  strong  wall  and  fortress  of  the  church. 

3.  All  words  are  pegs  to  hang  ideas  on. 


SENTENCES  103 

4.  If  slander  be  a  snake,  it  is  a  winged  one  ;  it  flies  as 
well  as  creeps. 

5.  Pride,  like  a  magnet,  constantly  points  to  one  object, 
—  self. 

6.  Truth  will  rise  above  falsehood,  as  oil  above  water. 

7.  Day,  like  a  weary  pilgrim,  had  reached  the  western 
gate  of  heaven,  and  Evening  stooped  down  to  unloose  the 
latchets  of  her  silver  shoon. 

8.  The  daisy's  cheek  is  tipped  with  a  blush  ;  she  is  of 
such  low  degree. 

10.  How  like  a  queen  comes  forth  the  lonely  Moon  from 
the  slow  opening  curtains  of  the  clouds. 

Exercise. 

Most  similes  can  be  changed  to  metaphors,  and 
most  metaphors  can  be  changed  to  similes.  "  The 
child  is  like  a  fresh  flower  "  is  a  simile.  It  can 
be  changed  to  read :  "  The  child  is  a  fresh  young 
flower."  This  is  a  metaphor.  The  comparison  is 
not  expressed  by  any  word.  "  Her  lips  were  rubies 
and  her  teeth  were  pearls  "  can  be  changed  to 
"  Her  lips  were  like  rubies  and  her  teeth  were  like 
pearls."  This  is  a  simile  ;  for  the  comparison  is 
expressed  by  the  word  "like."  It  may  be  ex- 
pressed in  this  way  :  "  She  had  ruby  lips  and  teeth 
of  pearl " ;  or  in  these  beautiful  lines  by  Spen- 
ser,— 

"  And  twixt  the  pearls  and  rubies  softly  brake 
A  silver  sound,  that  Heavenly  music  seemed  to  make." 

The  sentence,  "^  The  morning  dew  sparkles  like 
diamonds  "  is  a  simile.     Changed  to  a  metaphor. 


104  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

il  may  read :  "  Bright  diamonds  stud  the  morning 
lawn  "  ;  or,  — 

"  Nature  decks  with  generous  hand 

Each  blade  and  leaf  with  diamond  dew." 

Lowell  uses  nearly  the  same  comparison  between 
the  spray  from  the  water  wheel  and  jewels.  Is  his 
figure  a  simile  or  a  metaphor  ? 

"  The  miller  dreams  not  at  what  cost 

The  quivering  millstones  hum  and  whirl, 
Nor  how  for  every  turn  are  tossed 
Armfuls  of  diamond  and  of  pearl." 

Exercise. 
Change  three  metaphors  in  the  preceding  lesson 
to  similes  and  two  similes  to  metaphors. 

FOR   MEMORIZING. 
ABOU  BEN  ADHEM. 

Abou  Ben  Adhem  (may  his  tribe  increase !) 
Awoke  one  night  from  a  deep  dream  of  peace, 
And  saw,  within  the  moonlight  in  his  room, 
Making  it  rich,  and  like  a  lily  in  bloom, 
An  angel  writing  in  a  book  of  gold :  — 
Exceeding  peace  had  made  Ben  Adhem  bold. 
And  to  the  presence  in  his  room  he  said, 

*'  What  writest  thou  ?  "     The  vision  raised  its  head. 
And  with  a  look  made  of  all  sweet  accord, 
Answer'd,  "  The  names  of  those  who  love  the  Lord." 

"  And  is  mine  one?  "  said  Abou.     "  Nay,  not  so," 
Replied  the  angel.     Abou  spake  more  low. 
But  cheerily  still ;  and  said,  "  I  pray  thee,  then. 
Write  me  as  one  that  loves  his  fellow-men." 


SENTENCES  105 

The  angel  wrote,  and  vanish'd.     The  next  night 
It  came  again  with  a  great  wakening  light, 
And  showed  the  names  whom  love  of  God  had  bless'd, 
And  lo !  Ben  Adhem's  name  led  all  the  rest. 

Leigh  Hunt. 

Composition  Exercise. 

Hawthorne  has  these  sentences  :  — 

Now,  as  heretofore,  he  labored  for  his  bread,  and  was 
the  same  simple-hearted  man  that  he  had  always  been. 
But  he  had  thought  and  felt  so  much,  he  had  given  so 
many  of  the  best  hours  of  his  life  to  unworldly  hopes  for 
some  great  good  to  mankind,  that  it  seemed  as  though  he 
had  been  talking  with  the  angels  and  had  imbibed  a  por- 
tion of  their  wisdom  unawares.  It  was  visible  in  the  calm 
and  well-considered  beneficence  of  his  daily  life,  the  quiet 
stream  of  which  had  made  a  wide  green  margin  all  along 
its  course.  Not  a  day  passed  by  that  the  world  was  not 
the  better  because  this  man,  humble  as  he  was,  had  lived. 
Hawthorne,  from  The  Great  Stone  Face. 

Write  a  paragraph  telling  of  some  of  the  ways 
it  is  possible  for  a  man  to  be  so  helpful  to  his  neigh- 
bors that  he  may  be  likened  to  a  quiet  stream 
which  has  made  ''  a  wide  green  margin  all  along 
its  course." 

The  topic  sentence  might  be  :  — 

Some  people  are  so  kind  and  thoughtful  of  others,  that 
every  one  who  comes  near  them  is  made  happy. 

Or:  — 

I  know who  is  so  kind  to  me  that  whenever  I  see 

I  am  happy. 


106  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Exercise. 

Below  are  given  nine  figures  of  speech.  They 
have  been  broken  into  pieces.  Put  them  together 
as  you  think  they  were  at  first. 

1.  The  kingdoms  crumble  and  fall  apart 

2.  Beautiful  Venice  floats 

3.  Beyond  the  shining  harbor  bar  a  dim  sail  lingers 

4.  Light,  fleecy  clouds  swim  through  the  sky 

5.  A  doubtful  throne  is 

6.  Our  brains  are 

7.  Her  crimpled  ear  is 

8.  The  angry  man  was 

9.  St.  Peter's  Cathedral  glows 

a  veritable  wolf,  snapping  and  snarling. 

seventy  year  clocks. 

like  great  white  swans. 

like  a  pearl. 

like  a  ruined  wall. 

like  a  glowing  opal  in  a  sapphire  sea. 

ice  on  summer  seas. 

like  an  expanded  jewel  casket. 

like  a  pearly  pink  shell. 

Exercise. 

In  the  following  figures,  tell  first  what  things  are 
compared ;  and  second,  in  what  respect  the  things 
compared  are  alike.  Commit  to  memory  the  last 
three  stanzas. 

1.  Cornelia  said  of  her  children,  "  These  are  my  jewels.'* 

2.  Bread  is  the  staff  of  life. 


SENTENCES  107 

3.  "  The  Assyrian  came  down  like  a  wolf  on  the  fold, 

And  his  cohorts  were  gleaming  in  purple  and  gold." 

4.  "  Eocked  in  the  cradle  of  the  deep, 

I  lay  me  down  in  peace  to  sleep." 

6.  "  Silently,  one  by  one,  in  the  infinite  meadows  of 
heaven. 
Blossomed  the  lovely  stars,  the  forget-me-nots  of  the 
angels." 

6.  "  My  life  is  like  the  summer  rose 

That  opens  to  the  morning  sky." 

7.  "  Lives  of  great  men  all  remind  us, 

We  can  make  our  lives  sublime, 
And,  departing,  leave  behind  us 
Footprints  on  the  sands  of  Time." 

8.  "  On  Fame's  eternal  camping-ground 

Their  silent  tents  are  spread, 

And  Glory  guards,  with  solemn  round, 

The  bivouac  of  the  dead." 

9.  "  Like  the  dew  on  the  mountain, 

Like  the  foam  on  the  river. 
Like  the  bubble  on  the  fountain, 
Thou  art  gone  ;  and  forever !  " 

10.  "  There  is  a  garden  in  her  face 

Where  roses  and  white  lilies  blow ; 
A  Heavenly  paradise  is  that  place, 
Wherein  all  fruits  do  grow ; 
There  cherries  grow  that  none  may  buy. 
Till  Cherry-Ripe  themselves  do  cry. 

"  Those  cherries  fairly  do  enclose 
Of  orient  pearl  a  double  row. 


108  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Which  when  her  lovely  laughter  stows, 
They  look  like  rosebuds  fill'd  with  snow : 
Yet  them  no  prince  nor  peer  can  buy, 
Till  Cherry-Kipe  themselves  do  cry." 

11.        "  She  dwelt  among  the  untrodden  ways 
Beside  the  springs  of  Dove ; 
A  Maid  whom  there  were  none  to  praise 
And  very  few  to  love. 

"  A  Violet  by  a  mossy  stone 
Half -hidden  from  the  eye  ! 
Fair  as  a  star,  when  only  one 
Is  shining  in  the  sky. 

"  She  lived  unknown,  and  few  could  know 
When  Lucy  ceased  to  be ; 
But  she  is  in  her  grave,  and,  oh, 
The  difference  to  me  !  " 

Exercise. 

Write  sentences  comparing  an  angry  face  with 
a  storm  cloud ;  the  heart  v^ith  a  clock ;  some  men 
with  some  kind  of  animal;  cheeks  and  roses;  a 
candle  with  a  mans  life;  rivers  and  arteries;  a 
child's  moods  and  an  April  day. 

Example :  A  storm  of  anger  darkened  his  face ;  or,  His 
angry  face  looked  like  a  threatening  storm. 

Composition  Exercise. 

How  many  figures  can  you  find  in  "  The  Great 
Stone  Face "  after  Hawthorne  begins  to  write 
about  the  poet  ?  Is  beautiful  language  more  suit- 
able to  a  poet's  character  than  to  the  others?    Do 


SENTENCES  109 

you  think  Hawthorne  liked  the  poet  better  than 
the  rich  man  ?  than  the  warrior  ?  than  the  states- 
man ?  Is  there  some  poet  that  you  like  ?  Has  he 
said  some  things  that  you  have  thought  before, 
but  more  beautifully  than  you  could  say  them  ? 
Has  he  sometimes  seen  beauties  which  you  had  not 
seen  ?  Did  a  blacksmith  shop  look  so  beautiful  to 
you  before  you  had  read  "The  Village  Black- 
smith" ?  Was  something  added  to  the  beauty  of 
"  A  Day  in  June "  when  you  read  the  lines  by 
Lowell?  Is  the  life  of  a  brave  soldier-boy  more 
nobly  beautiful  after  reading  "  An  Incident  of  the 
French  Camp  "  ?  Do  flowers  smell  sweeter,  moun- 
tains grow  grander,  brooks  murmur  more  gently, 
faces  of  youth  glow  brighter,  and  old  age  seem 
sadder  when  the  poet  sings  of  them  ? 

Write  a  paragraph  upon  one  of  these  topic  sen- 
tences :  — 

The  world  has  always  loved  its  poets,  for  all  things 
assumed  another  and  a  better  aspect  from  the  hour  that 
the  first  poet  blessed  it  with  his  eyes. 

Go  on  with  some  of  the  beautiful  things  the 
poet  has  shown  you. 

Or:  — 

The  most  beautiful  poem  I  know  is  the  story  of  a  noble 
life. 

What  does  such  a  life  tell  you  ? 
Or,  describe  Ernest  as  he  appeared  to  the  poet 
approaching  him  in  the  evening  sunlight. 


110  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

FOB  MEMORIZING. 

TO  THE  DAISY. 

With  little  here  to  do  or  see 

Of  things  that  in  the  great  world  be, 

Sweet  Daisy !  oft  I  talk  to  thee, 

For  thou  art  worthy, 
Thou  unassuming  Commonplace 
Of  Nature,  with  that  homely  face, 
And  yet  with  something  of  a  grace. 

Which  Love  makes  for  thee ! 

Oft  on  the  dappled  turf  at  ease 

I  sit,  and  play  with  similes. 

Loose  types  of  things  through  all  degrees, 

Thoughts  of  thy  raising  ; 
And  many  a  fond  and  idle  name 
I  give  to  thee,  for  praise  or  blame, 
As  is  the  humor  of  the  game. 

While  I  am  gazing. 

A  Nun  demure,  of  lowly  port ; 

Or  sprightly  Maiden,  of  Love's  Court, 

In  thy  simplicity  the  sport 

Of  all  temptations ; 
A  Queen  in  crown  of  rubies  drest ; 
A  starveling  in  a  scanty  vest ; 
Are  all,  as  seems  to  suit  thee  best. 

Thy  appellations. 

A  little  Cyclops,  with  one  eye 
Staring  to  threaten  and  defy. 
That  thought  comes  next  —  and  instantly 
The  freak  is  over, 


SENTENCES  111 

The  shape  will  vanish,  and  behold ! 
A  silver  Shield  with  boss  of  gold, 
That  spreads  itself,  some  Fairy  bold 
In  fight  to  cover. 

I  see  thee  glittering  from  afar ;  — 
And  then  thou  art  a  pretty  Star ; 
Not  quite  so  fair  as  many  are 

In  heaven  above  thee ! 
Yet  like  a  star,  with  glittering  crest, 
Self -poised  in  air,  thou  seem'st  to  rest ;  — 
May  peace  come  never  to  his  nest. 

Who  shall  reprove  thee ! 

Sweet  Flower !  for  by  that  name  at  last, 
When  all  my  reveries  are  past, 
I  call  thee,  and  to  that  cleave  fast, 

Sweet  silent  Creature ! 
That  breath'st  with  me  in  sun  and  air, 
Do  thou,  as  thou  art  wont,  repair 
My  heart  with  gladness,  and  a  share 

Of  thy  meek  nature  !  Wordsworth. 

Before  memorizing  the  poem,  study  it  carefully- 
Be  ready  to  answer  the  following  questions :  — 

Where  was  Wordsworth  when  the  poem  came 
to  him  ?  How  do  you  know  the  flower  was  not  in 
some  town  garden  ?  Had  he  picked  the  flower, 
or  was  it  still  on  its  slender  stem  ?  Do  you  think 
the  daisy  a  pretty  flower?  Why,  then,  does  he 
call  it  "  homely  "  ?  What  does  "  homely  "  mean  ? 
Consult  the  dictionary. 

How  many  figures  of  speech  are  there  in  the 


112  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

third  stanza  ?  Are  they  similes  ?  If  not,  what  are 
they  ?  How  can  he  see  a  nun,  a  maiden,  a  queen, 
and  a  starveling  all  in  this  simple  little  flower? 
Show  the  likeness  of  each  to  a  daisy.  What  is 
meant  by  ^^  demure,"  "port,"  "starveling"?  What 
is  meant  by  "vest/"  here  ?  by  "appellation"?  Give 
a  synonym  of  each  of  these  words. 

How  many  figures  are  there  in  the  fourth  stanza? 
What  is  a  "  Cyclops  "  ?  How  can  a  daisy  be  like 
a  Cyclops  ?  What  is  the  "  boss "  of  a  shield  ? 
What  part  of  the  flower  looks  like  it?  Where 
is  the  "  Fairy  bold  "  ?     Do  you  like  this  figure  ? 

Which  of  all  the  metaphors  do  you  like  best  ? 
Is  the  last  stanza  beautiful  ?  Has  it  figures  of 
speech  as  the  others  ?  Does  the  language  suit  this 
common  flower  ?  Has  the  poet  shown  you  more 
beauty  in  the  daisy  than  you  had  seen  before  ? 

Composition  Exercise. 

Some  weeks  ago,  you  wrote  upon  the  picture  of 
"  The  Great  Stone  Face."  Ernest  did  not  see  that 
face  as  you  see  it ;  to  him  it  was  far  more  beauti- 
ful than  it  seems  in  the  picture.  Where  was  the 
ideal  man  that  Ernest  saw?  Had  Ernest  really 
seen  him  in  the  face  on  the  mountain  ?  Did  others 
see  the  same  face  there  that  Ernest  saw  ?  Why 
did  Ernest  at  last  become  the  man  prophesied  cen- 
turies before  ?  Have  you  seen  an  ideal  that  you 
would  like  to  become  ? 


SENTENCES  113 

Write  a  paragraph  upon  the  value  of  noble  ideals 
in  lifting  our  lives  up  to  a  high  standard. 

Whatsoever  things  are  true,  whatsoever  things  are  hon- 
est, whatsoever  things  are  just,  whatsoever  things  are 
pure,  whatsoever  things  are  lovely,  whatsoever  things  are 
of  good  report;  if  there  be  any  virtue,  and  if  there  be 
any  praise,  think  on  these  things.  Phimppians  iv.  8. 

UMITT  OF   SENTENCES. 

A  sentence  is  a  group  of  words  expressing  a 
complete  thought.  We  have  already  studied  the 
different  ways  of  expressing  a  thought,  —  by  syn- 
onyms, by  antonyms,  by  contrasts,  by  comparisons, 
and  by  figures  of  speech.  The  subject  now  is  the 
unity  of  sentences;  that  is,  what  should  be  in- 
cluded in  a  sentence,  and  what  should  be  excluded. 
First  we  shall  study  what  should  be  included  in  a 
sentence. 

Young  children  sometimes  talk  like  this :  "  My 
sled  is  red.  Mary's  sled  is  red.  I  slide  down  hill 
on  my  sled.  Mary  slides  down  hill  on  her  sled." 
When  the  child  has  grown  a  little  older  he  says  all 
this  in  one  sentence,  as  he  should ;  for  all  those 
four  sentences  are  but  one  thought :  "  Mary  and  I 
slide  down  hill  on  our  red  sleds."  Yet  he  still  may 
write  some  sentences,  in  his  history  lesson,  like  the 
following :  "  Washington  was  the  first  president 
of  the  United  States.  He  was  inaugurated  April 
30,  1789.  He  was  inaugurated  at  Federal  Hall, 
in  New  York  City."     Those  three  sentences  make 


114  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

really  but  one  complete  thought;  they  should, 
therefore,  be  included  in  one  sentence.  The  whole 
of  a  thought,  —  the  complete  thought,  —  should 
be  expressed  in  one  sentence. 

Exercise. 

Combine  each  of  the  following  groups  of  sen- 
tences into  one  sentence.  Each  group  expresses 
but  one  complete  thought. 

1.  Cambridge  was  a  small  village  in  1819.  It  is 
situated  near  Boston.  Boston  i»  about  six  miles  from 
Cambridge. 

2.  James  Eussell  Lowell  was  born  in  Cambridge.  He 
was  born  in  1819.  His  birthday  was  February  22d.  Feb- 
ruary 22d  is  the  anniversary  of  Washington's  birthday. 

3.  He  was  the  youngest  of  seven  children.  He  had  four 
brothers  and  two  sisters. 

4.  His  father  was  a  minister.  His  father  had  a  large 
library.  The  baby,  James,  tumbled  over  the  books  in 
the  library.  The  boy,  James,  devoured  the  books  in  the 
library. 

5.  In  those  days  most  schools  were  kept  by  men.  A 
few  schools  were  kept  by  women.  They  were  called  dame- 
schools. 

6.  James  attended  a  dame-school.  James  left  the 
dame-school.  He  was  eight  years  old  when  he  left  the 
dame-school.     He  then  went  to  a  private  school. 

7.  The  master  of  the  private  school  was  Mr.  William 
Wells.  Mr.  Wells  was  an  Englishman.  He  was  a 
gentleman  of  good  family  and  excellent  education. 

8.  Mr.  Wells  made  his  school  like  the  schools  in  Eng- 
land.    English  schools  maintain  s^evere  discipline. 


SENTENCES  115 

9.  Lowell  studied  Latin  in  this  school.  Lowell  after- 
ward found  much  use  for  Latin.  He  did  not  like  to 
study  it. 

10.  Lowell  entered  Harvard  College.  He  was  fifteen 
years  old  then. 

Exercise. 

The  following  groups  of  sentences  make  the 
thought  of  a  paragraph  by  Irving.  He  wrote  the 
paragraph  in  eight  sentences.  The  beginning  of 
each  sentence  is  marked  by  its  number.  Combine 
the  short  sentences  into  one  longer  sentence. 

(1.)  I  am  fond  of  loitering  about  country  churches. 
This  church  was  delightfully  situated.  It  frequently 
attracted  me.  (2.)  It  stood  on  a  knoll.  A  small  stream 
made  a  beautiful  bend  around  it.  Then  it  wound  its  way 
through  a  long  reach  of  soft  meadow  scenery.  (3.)  The 
church  was  surrounded  by  yew-trees.  They  seemed  almost 
coeval  with  itself.  (4.)  Its  tall  Gothic  spire  shot  up 
lightly  from  among  them.  Books  and  crows  were  gener- 
ally wheeling  about  it.  (5.)  It  was  a  still  sunny  morn- 
ing. I  was  seated  there.  I  was  watching  two  laborers. 
They  were  digging  a  grave.  (6.)  They  had  chosen  one  of 
the  most  remote  and  neglected  corners  of  the  churchyard. 
By  the  number  of  nameless  graves  around,  it  would  appear 
that  the  indigent  and  friendless  were  huddled  into  the 
earth  here.  (7.)  The  new-made  grave  was  for  the  only 
son  of  a  poor  widow.  So  I  was  told.  (8.)  I  was  medita- 
ting on  the  distinctions  of  worldly  rank.  They  extend 
thus  down  into  the  very  dust.  The  toll  of  the  bell  an- 
nounced the  approach  of  the  funeral. 

Ibving,  from  The  Sketch  Book, 


116  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  paragraph  giving  your  opinion  of  ex- 
pensive monuments  in  a  cemetery.  Why  are  they 
placed  there  ?  Is  a  cemetery  a  place  for  the  ex- 
hibition of  wealth  ? 

Or^  relate  an  unusual  experience  at  church. 

Or,  write  a  letter  to  a  friend  telling  him  of  some 
of  the  good  things  you  heard  at  church  last  Sun- 
day which  made  an  impression  upon  you  and 
which  you  intend  to  profit  by. 

UNITY   OF   SENTENCES. 

It  is  not  elegant  to  write  such  short  sentences 
as  those  in  the  exercises  just  corrected.  Yet  each 
of  those  short  sentences  states  a  fact.  Sometimes, 
however,  one  cannot  state  the  truth  without  using 
a  longer  sentence.  To  make  the  sentence  true,  he 
must  frequently  use  some  modifying  clause.  If 
one  should  say,  "  All  men  should  be  imprisoned," 
he  surely  is  not  stating  the  truth.  However,  if 
he  should  insert  a  modifying  clause,  such  as,  "  that 
do  murder,"  making  the  sentence  read :  "  All 
men  that  do  murder  should  be  imprisoned,"  the 
sentence  does  state  a  truth  which  is  accepted. 
"  Illness  is  among  the  best  gifts  of  the  gods,"  is  a 
statement  which  few  wish  to  have  proven  on 
themselves.  Modify  it  as  Swift  did  when  he  wrote 
it,  and  it  is  not  so  bad.  "  A  proper,  comfortable 
illness,  that  keeps  you  in  bed,  yet  leaves  you  free 


SENTENCES  117 

to  read ;  that  banishes  all  the  interruptions  of  life, 
the  constitutional  walks,  the  stupid  visits,  the  an- 
noying correspondence,  the  dressing  and  undress- 
ing, —  and  allows  you  to  lie  abed  and  read  your 
fill,  is  among  the  best  gifts  of  the  gods."  To  state 
the  whole,  the  complete  thought,  it  is  often  neces- 
sary to  use  modifying  clauses. 

Exercise. 

Introduce  modifying  clauses  into  the  sentences 
below  so  as  to  make  them  true. 

All  pupils  should  be  suspended  from  school. 
The  government  is  bad.     (What  kind  ?) 
A  tree  cannot  grow. 

A  boy  will  not  do  his  best  in  school.     (When  ?) 
Poverty  is  dishonorable.     (Only  when  ?) 
A  man  always  believes  himself  suspected  of  a  crime. 
(All  men?) 
No  man  is  fit  to  be  a  citizen  of  the  United  States. 
A  man  becomes  a  real  hero. 

UNITY  OF   SENTENCES. 

A  sentence  is  a  complete  thought  expressed  in 
words.  Yet  sometimes  we  find  a  sentence  like  the 
following :  "  The  boy  broke  the  new  bow.  Which 
I  gave  him."  "  Which  I  gave  him"  is  as  much  a 
modifier  of  "  bow  "  as  the  word  "  new."  A  modi- 
fier of  a  part  of  a  sentence  must  not  be  made  to 
look  like  another  sentence,  by  being  cut  off  by  a 
period  from  the  word  it  modifies.  Express  the 
complete  thought  in  one  sentence. 


118  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

All  the  following  sentences  are  wrong.  Too 
many  similar  ones  will  be  found  in  the  pupils' 
papers. 

1.  This  is  the  story.  Which  I  was  intending  to  tell 
you. 

2.  Not  hearing  from  you.  I  think  it  is  time  that  I 
should  write  to  learn  what  is  the  matter. 

3.  What  I  said  to  you.     You  had  no  business  to  tell. 

4.  He  was  one  of  those  who  cannot  but  be  in  earnest. 
Whom  Nature  herself  has  appointed  to  be  sincere. 

Exercise. 

The  following  paragraph  is  taken  from  Irving's 
^^  Christmas  Dinner."  The  sentences  have  been 
incorrectly  divided  by  periods.  Take  out  these 
marks  except  in  places  where  they  should  be  used. 
Irving  has  but  five  sentences.  It  would  not  be 
wrong  to  have  six.  Eemember  how  much  should 
go  into  a  sentence,  —  the  expression  of  a  complete 
thought. 

After  the  dinner-table  was  removed.  The  hall  was 
given  up  to  the  younger  members  of  the  family,  who, 
prompted  to  all  kind  of  noisy  mirth  by  the  Oxonian  and 
Master  Simon,  made  its  old  walls  ring  with  their  merri- 
ment. As  they  played  at  romping  games.  I  delight  in 
witnessing  the  gambols  of  children.  And  particularly  at 
this  happy  holiday  season,  and  could  not  help  stealing  out 
of  the  drawing-room  on  hearing  one  of  their  peals  of 
laughter.  I  found  them  at  the  game  of  blind-man's-buff. 
Master  Simon,  who  was  the  leader  of  their  revels,  and 
seemed  on  all  occasions  to  fulfil  the  office  of  that  ancient 


SENTENCES  119 

potentate,  the  Lord  of  Misrule,  was  blinded  in  the  midst 
of  the  hall.  The  little  beings  were  as  busy  about  him  as 
the  mock  fairies  about  Falstaff.  Pinching  him,  plucking 
at  the  skirts  of  his  coat,  and  tickling  him  with  straws. 
One  fine  blue-eyed  girl  of  about  thirteen,  with  her  flaxen 
hair  all  in  beautiful  confusion,  her  frolic  face  in  a  glow. 
Her  frock  half  torn  off  her  shoulders,  a  complete  pic- 
ture of  a  romp,  was  the  chief  tormentor.  And  from  the 
shyness  with  which  Master  Simon  avoided  the  smaller 
game,  and  hemmed  this  wild  little  nymph  in  corners,  and 
obliged  her  to  jump  shrieking  over  chairs.  I  suspected 
the  rogue  of  being  not  a  whit  more  blinded  than  was 
convenient.  Ibving,  from  The  Sketch  Book. 

Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  story  of  the  games  of  Christmas  Night 
at  your  grandfather's.  Did  only  the  children  play, 
or  did  all  the  family  join  in  the  fun  ?  Who  was 
"  it  "  most  of  the  time  ? 

Or,  tell  a  friend  how  to  play  the  game  you  like 
the  best.  You  have  just  learned  it,  and  your  friend 
has  never  heard  of  it ;  so  you  will  have  to  be  very 
careful  to  explain  all  about  it. 

Or,  write  a  paragraph  upon  this  topic  sentence : 

It  would  be  a  good  thing  if  older  people  would  often 
forget  their  worries,  and  join  with  younger  people  in  their 
sports. 

COMMA. 

The  following  rules  for  the  comma  have  al- 
ready been  taught  in  the  first  books  on  language. 
Find  in  your  reader  an  example  of  each  rule,  and 
bring  it  to  class.     Commit  the  rules  to  memory. 


120  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

1.  Words  used  in  a  series,  unless  all  of  them  are 
joined  by  connecting  words,  are  separated  by  commas. 

2.  In  writing  a  date,  a  comma  is  used  to  separate 
the  day  of  the  month  from  the  year. 

3.  A  comma  is  used  to  separate  the  name  of  a  town 
from  the  name  of  the  state  in  which  it  is  located. 

4.  The  name  of  the  person  or  thing  addressed  is 
separated  from  the  rest  of  the  sentence  by  a  comma, 
or  by  commas. 

6.  A  short,  informal  quotation  is  separated  from 
the  explanatory  words  of  the  author  by  a  comma,  or 
by  commas. 

COMMA. 

Very  few  sentences  are  made  up  of  just  a  sub- 
ject and  a  predicate.  These  essential  parts  of  a 
sentence  usually  have  modifiers.  The  basis  of  one 
of  Hawthorne's  sentences  is:  "He  and  the  poet  pro- 
ceeded to  the  spot."  Hawthorne  tells  us  how  they 
proceeded :  "  arm  in  arm,"  he  says ;  and,  "  still 
talking  together  as  they  went  along."  These 
groups  of  words  belong  together ;  they  cannot  be 
separated.  But  a  whole  group  can  be  taken  up 
and  put  into  some  other  place  in  the  sentence. 
Using  "  arm  in  arm  "  to  illustrate,  notice  how  many 
places  it  can  occupy. 

1.  He  and  the  poet  proceeded  to  the  spot,  arm  in  arm. 

2.  He  and  the  poet  proceeded,  arm  in  arm,  to  the  spot. 

3.  He  and  the  poet,  arm  in  arm,  proceeded  to  the  spot. 

4.  Arm  in  arm,  he  and  the  poet  proceeded  to  the  spot. 

The  group  of  words  can  be  made  to  occupy 
many  positions  in  the  sentence.  But  the  words 
that  form  the  group  cannot  be  separated.   It  would 


SENTENCES  121 

be  quite  impossible  to  say :  "  He  and  the  poet  arm 
proceeded  to  the  spot  in  arm."  To  show,  then, 
that  the  words  of  the  group  belong  together,  they 
are  held  together  by  commas.  And  to  separate 
them  from  other  words  of  a  sentence  so  that  they 
shall  not  be  connected  with  any  word  they  do  not 
modify,  they  are  set  off  by  commas. 

6.  Small  groups  of  closely  related  words  are  inclosed 
by  commas  to  indicate  their  own  near  relation,  and  to 
separate  them  from  words  they  might  otherwise  be 
thought  to  modify. 

Exercise. 

In  paragraph  74  of  "  The  Great  Stone  Face," 
give  the  reason  for  the  use  of  the  commas.  Re- 
member that  one  rule  is  sufficient  for  both  the 
commas  inclosing  a  group  of  closely  related  words. 

COMMA. 

Success  is,  indeed,  achieved  by  one's  own  efforts. 
Success,  however,  is  achieved  by  one's  own  efforts. 

In  place  of  the  words  "however"  and  "indeed," 
let  the  expressions,  so  they  say,  my  word  for  it, 
if  one  can  believe  reports ^  be  substituted.  All 
such  expressions  can  be  omitted  from  the  sentence. 
It  is  true  they  add  something  to  the  sentence,  but 
they  are  not  absolutely  necessary  to  the  thought. 
They  are  explanatory,  and,  in  a  degree,  paren- 
thetical. The  words  composing  such  an  expres- 
sion are  closely  related  to  each  other,  —  much 
more  closely  than  the  whole  expression  is  to  the 


122  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

remainder  of  the  sentence.  Following  our  general 
rule  for  the  comma  already  given,  they  should  be 
separated  from  the  rest  of  the  sentence. 

7.  Words,  phrases,  and  clauses,  either  explanatory  or 
slightly  parenthetical,  should  be  separated  from  the 
rest  of  the  sentence  by  commas. 

Exercise, 

The  paragraph  from  "  The  House  of  the  Seven 
Gables/'  on  the  next  page,  is  full  of  commas. 
They  all  come  under  the  rules  already  learned. 

State  the  reason  for  them ;  also  give  the  word 
modified  by  the  phrase  set  off  by  commas.  The 
third  sentence  is  a  beautiful  example  of  the  way  a 
sentence  grows  from  a  very  short  subject  and 
predicate.  "  The  bees  kept  coming  thither "  is 
the  basis  of  the  sentence.  '^And  often  since 
then  "  modifies  the  predicate ;  and,  as  a  group  of 
closely  related  words,  it  is  separated  from  the  rest 
of  the  sentence  by  commas.  The  author  was  not 
satisfied  with  "often/'  so  he  added  in  explana- 
tion, "  almost  continually,  indeed."  This,  also,  is 
separated  from  the  rest  of  the  sentence  by  commas. 
Hawthorne  has  added  dashes,  too.  "  The  bees  kept 
coming  thither  for  far-fetched  sweets."  To  make 
it  more  mysterious  and  strange,  he  has  thrown  in 
the  words,  "Heaven  knows  why";  and  these 
words,  being  closely  related  and  slightly  paren- 
thetical, are  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  sen- 
tence by  commas.     In  cases  like  these,  do  not  try 


SENTENCES  123 

to  give  the  reason  for  each  comma  alone ;  the  two 
commas  which  inclose  the  whole  of  such  expres- 
sions have  one  and  the  same  reason  for  their  use. 
Give  one  reason  for  them  both. 

It  is  wonderful  how  many  pleasant  incidents  continu- 
ally came  to  pass  in  that  secluded  garden-spot  when  once 
Phoebe  had  set  herself  to  look  for  them.  She  had  seen  or 
heard  a  bee  there,  on  the  first  day  of  her  acquaintance 
with  the  place.  And  often,  —  almost  continually,  indeed, 
—  since  then,  the  bees  kept  coming  thither,  Heaven  knows 
why,  .  .  .  for  far-fetched  sweets,  when,  no  doubt,  there 
were  broad  clover-fields,  and  all  kinds  of  garden  growth? 
much  nearer  home  than  this.  Thither  the  bees  came, 
however,  and  plunged  into  the  squash-blossoms,  as  if  there 
were  no  other  squash-vines  within  a  long  day's  flight,  or 
as  if  the  soil  of  Hepzibah's  garden  gave  its  productions 
just  the  very  quality  which  these  laborious  little  wizards 
wanted,  in  order  to  impart  the  Hymettus  ^  flavor  to  their 
whole  hive  of  New  England  honey.  When  Clifford  heard 
their  sunny,  buzzing  murmur,  in  the  heart  of  the  great 
yellow  blossoms,  he  looked  about  with  a  joyful  sense  of 
warmth,  and  blue  sky,  and  green  grass,  and  of  God's  free 
air  in  the  whole  height  from  earth  to  Heaven.  After  all, 
there  need  be  no  question  why  the  bees  came  to  that  one 
green  nook  in  the  dusty  town.  God  sent  them  thither  to 
gladden  our  poor  Clifford.  They  brought  the  rich  sum- 
mer with  them  in  requital  of  a  little  honey. 

Hawthorne,  from  The  House  of  the  Seven  Gables. 

1  The  honey  from  Hymettus,  a  mountain  in  Greece,  is  renowned 
for  its  fine  flavor. 


124  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Composition,  Exercise. 

Write  a  description  of  the  plant  or  flower  that 
you  like  most.  Eead  Lowell's  "  Dandelion  "  and 
"  Violet !  Sweet  Violet !  "  and  Wordsworth's  "  To 
the  Small  Celandine."  Kecall  to  mind  Words- 
worth's "  Daffodils  "  and  "  To  the  Daisy."  These 
will  help  you  to  express  your  feelings  in  regard 
to  the  flower  you  love  best. 

FOB  MEMORIZING. 
THE  YELLOW  VIOLET. 

When  beechen  buds  begin  to  swell, 

And  woods  the  blue-bird's  warble  know, 

The  yellow  violet's  modest  bell 

Peeps  from  the  last  year's  leaves  below. 

Ere  russet  fields  their  green  resume, 
Sweet  flower,  I  love,  in  forest  bare, 

To  meet  thee,  when  thy  faint  perfume 
Alone  is  in  the  virgin  air. 

Of  all  her  train,  the  hands  of  Spring 
First  plant  thee  in  the  watery  mould, 

And  I  have  seen  thee  blossoming 
Beside  the  snow-bank's  edges  cold. 

Thy  parent  sun,  who  bade  thee  view 
Pale  skies,  and  chilling  moisture  sip, 

Has  bathed  thee  in  his  own  bright  hue. 
And  streaked  with  jet  thy  glowing  lip. 


SENTENCES  125 

Yet  slight  thy  form,  and  low  thy  seat, 
And  earthward  bent  thy  gentle  eye, 

Unapt  the  passing  view  to  meet, 

When  loftier  flowers  are  flaunting  nigh. 

Oft,  in  the  sunless  April  day. 

Thy  early  smile  has  stayed  my  walk ; 

But  midst  the  gorgeous  blooms  of  May, 
I  pass  thee  on  thy  humble  stalk. 

So  they,  who  climb  to  wealth,  forget 
The  friends  in  darker  fortunes  tried. 

I  copied  them  —  but  I  regret 

That  I  should  ape  the  ways  of  pride. 

And  when  again  the  genial  hour 
Awakes  the  painted  tribes  of  light, 

I  '11  not  o'erlook  the  modest  flower 
That  made  the  woods  of  April  bright. 

Bryant. 

UNITY  OF  SENTENCES. 

A  complete  thought  expressed  in  words  makes 
a  sentence.  A  modifying  clause  should  never  be 
far  separated  from  the  word  which  it  modifies. 
It  belongs  to  the  principal  clause  just  as  much  as 
any  adjective  or  adverb. 

In  a  sentence  in  which  one  clause  modifies  an- 
other, it  is  not  very  difficult  to  know  where  the 
sentence  ends.  However,  when  we  have  two  pro- 
positions, neither  of  which  modifies  the  other,  it  is 
sometimes  extremely  difficult  to  tell  whether  they 
should  form  two  sentences,  or  be  included  in  one 


126  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

sentence.  Yet  when  clauses  have  certain  rela- 
tions to  each  other^  they  belong  in  one  sentence. 
Of  these  relations,  but  three  will  be  given. 

First  The  simplest  and  most  common  relation 
that  may  exist  between  the  independent  clauses 
of  a  sentence  is  the  one  indicated  by  the  word 
"  and.''  When  this  word  is  used  between  clauses 
it  indicates  that  the  second  clause  has  been  added 
to  the  first.     It  is  called  the  additive  relation. 

Examples :  Slothf ulness  casteth  into  a  deep  sleep  ;  and 
the  idle  soul  shall  suffer  hunger. 

He  that  hideth  hatred  is  of  lying  lips;  and  he  that 
uttereth  slander  is  a  fool. 

Second,  The  next  relation  between  the  inde- 
pendent elements  of  a  sentence  is  that  indicated 
by  the  word  "  but."  This  word  marks  a  contrast  ,• 
and  the  relation  is  called  adversative. 

Examples :  Th§  wicked  flee  when  no  man  pursueth ;  but 
the  righteous  are  bold  as  a  lion. 

The  rich  are  always  advising  the  poor  ;  but  the  poor  sel- 
dom venture  to  return  the  favor. 

In  all  labor  there  is  profit ;  but  the  talk  of  the  lips  tendeth 
only  to  penury. 

Third,  Another  relation  is  usually  indicated  by 
"or  "  and  ^^nor  "  ;  or  by  "either,  or  "  and  "neither, 
nor.''  These  words  offer  a  choice  of  two  alterna- 
tives ;  and  the  relation  is  called  alternative. 

Examples :   They  toil  not,  neither  do  they  spin. 
Either  the  enemy  did  not  know  the  weakness  of  the 


SENTENCES  127 

American  position  and  numbers ;   or  foreign  soldiers  did 
not  care  to  risk  their  lives  for  money. 

These  three  relations  —  the  additive,  the  ad- 
versative, and  the  alternative  —  are  the  most 
common  ones  to  be  found  between  independent 
clauses.  Clauses  betw^een  which  any  of  these  re- 
lations exists  should  be  united  into  one  sentence. 
^^  And/'  "  but,"  "  or/'  and  "  nor  "  very  rarely  begin 
new  sentences. 

Exercise. 

Write  three  sentences  of  each  of  the  three  kinds, 
—  additive,  adversative,  and  alternative. 

UNITY   OF    SENTENCES. 

The  additive  relation  is  found  in  many  sentences 
in  which  the  connecting  word  is  omitted.  In  telling 
a  story,  a  writer  may  wish  to  give  quickly  several 
details  that  together  make  up  one  action.  These 
he  may  group  into  one  sentence.  So,  in  a  descrip- 
tion, an  author  may  combine  a  large  number  of  de- 
tails into  a  single  sentence  to  get  them  before  the 
reader  at  once,  and  make  him  feel  that  they  are  all 
parts  of  one  picture.  Such  sentences  are  additive ; 
but  they  have  no  connecting  word. 

Mrs.  Cratchit  made  the  gravy  (ready  beforehand  in  a 
little  saucepan)  hissing  hot;  Master  Peter  mashed  the 
potatoes  with  incredible  vigor ;  Miss  Belinda  sweetened 
up  the  apple-sauce ;  Martha  dusted  the  hot  plates ;  Bob 
took  tiny  Tim  beside  him  in  a  tiny  corner  at  the  table  5 
the  two  young   Cratchits  set  chairs  for   everybody,  not 


128  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

forgetting  themselves,  and  mounting  guard  upon  their 
posts,  crammed  spoons  into  their  mouths,  lest  they  should 
shriek  for  goose  before  their  turn  came  to  be  helped. 

Dickens,  from  A  Christmas  Carol. 

Meantime  the  drops  patter  thicker  on  the  leaves  over- 
head, and  the  leaves,  in  turn,  pass  the  water  down  to  the 
table ;  the  sky  darkens ;  the  wind  rises ;  there  is  a  kind 
of  shiver  in  the  woods ;  and  we  scud  away  into  a  shanty, 
taking  the  remains  of  our  supper,  and  eating  it  as  best 

we  can.  Warner,  from  Camping  Out, 

Eead  the  last  two  selections  through,  supplying 
all  the  connecting  words  that  could  be  used.  What 
is  the  effect  of  the  change  ?  Does  it  improve  or 
injure  the  selections  ? 

Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  description  of  a  fire.  When  you  come 
to  the  time  when  there  is  great  excitement  and 
many  things  are  being  done  at  once,  put  a  large 
number  of  the  details  into  one  sentence. 

Or,  write  a  story  of  a  runaway.  If  you  use  a 
grocery  wagon  or  milk  wagon  and  have  it  over- 
turned, a  number  of  things  will  happen  all  at  once. 
This  will  give  an  opportunity  for  a  sentence  with 
many  independent  clauses. 

SENTENCES. 
Semicolon.     Comma. 

You  have  noticed  the  punctuation  in  the  sen- 
tences you  have  just  been  studying.  The  semi- 
colon  has   been    used   very   often ;    the  comma, 


SENTENCES  129 

sometimes.  If  the  connecting  words  are  omitted,  if 
the  independent  clauses  are  long,  or  if  the  clauses 
have  commas  in  them,  the  semicolon  is  used  between 
the  independent  clauses.  If  the  sentence  is  short 
and  the  conjunctions  are  present,  the  comma  is  the 
usual  mark  between  the  independent  clauses. 

A  semicolon  is  generally  used  to  separate  the  inde- 
pendent clauses  of  a  sentence,  if  they  are  complex, 
or  if  the  clauses  themselves  contain  commas,  or  if 
the  connectives  are  omitted. 

A  comma  is  used  to  separate  the  independent  parts 
of  a  sentence,  if  they  are  simple  and  the  connectives 
are  expressed. 

Exercise. 

In  the  following  sentences,  insert  commas  and 
semicolons  where  they  are  needed. 

1.  Speak  not  evil  of  the  absent  for  it  is  unjust. 

2.  Think  before  you  speak  pronounce  not  imperfectly 
nor  bring  out  your  words  too  hastily  but  orderly  and  dis- 
tinctly. 

3.  Turn  not  your  back  to  others  especially  in  speaking 
jog  not  the  table  or  desk  on  which  another  reads  or  writes 
lean  not  on  any  one. 

4.  Sleep  not  when  others  speak  sit  not  when  others 
stand  speak  not  when  you  should  hold  your  peace  walk 
not  when  others  stop. 

5.  When  another  speaks  be  attentive  yourself  and  dis- 
turb not  the  audience.  If  any  hesitate  in  his  words  help 
him  not  nor  prompt  him  without  being  desired  interrupt 
him  not  nor  answer  till  his  speech  is  ended. 

6.  Read  no  letters  books  or  papers  in  company  but 
when  there  is  a  necessity  for  doing  it  you  must  ask  leave. 


130  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Come  not  near  the  books  or  writings  of  any  one  so  as  to 
read  them  unless  desired  nor  give  your  opinion  of  them 
unasked  also  look  not  nigh  when  another  is  writing  a 
letter. 

7.  Associate  yourself  with  men  of  good  quality  if  you 
esteem  your  own  reputation  for  it  is  better  to  be  alone 
than  in  bad  company. 

8.  Go  not  thither  where  you  know  not  whether  you 
shall  be  welcome  or  not.  Give  not  advice  without  being 
asked  and  when  desired  do  it  briefly. 

9.  Labor  to  keep  alive  that  little  spark  of  celestial  fire 
called  conscience. 

10.  When  you  speak  of  God  or  his  attributes  let  it  be 
seriously  in  reverence.  Honor  and  obey  your  natural 
parents  though  they  be  poor. 

Washington,  from  Rules  of  Condtict. 

Exercise, 

Punctuate  the  following.  The  periods  are  in  the 
proper  places ;  and  wherever  there  is  a  wide  space, 
either  a  copima  or  a  semicolon  is  to  be  used. 

They  had  good  reason  to  wonder  at  the  magnificence  of 
Thomas  a  Becket  for  when  he  entered  a  French 
town  his  procession  was  headed  by  two  hundred 
and    fifty   singing   boys  then  came    his    hounds 

in   couples  then  eight   wagons  each    drawn 

by  five  horses  driven  by  five  drivers :  two  of  the  wagons 
filled  with  strong  ale  to  be  given  away  to  the  people 
four         with    his    gold    and    silver    plate    and   stately 
clothes  two  with   the   dresses   of    his   numerous 

servants.  Then  came  twelve  horses  each  with  a 
monkey  on  his  back  then  a  train  of  people  bearing 
shields  and  leading  fine  war-horses  spendidly  equipped 


SENTENCES  131 

then       falconers  with  hawks  upon  their  wrists       then 
a  host  of  knights        and  gentlemen  and  priests        then 
the  chancellor  with  his  brilliant  garments  flashing  in  the 
sun         and  all  the  people  capering  and  shouting  with 

delight.  Dickens,  from  A  Child's  History  of  England, 

Exercise, 

In  the  following  selection,  the  periods  are  in  their 
proper  places.  There  are  needed  some  commas  and 
semicolons  to  make  the  meaning  clear.  Put  them 
in  where  you  think  they  will  aid  the  reader  in  un- 
derstanding the  good  advice  given. 

You  complain  since  that  the  boys  laugh  at  you  and  do 
not  care  about  you  and  that  you  are  not  treated  as  you 
were  at  home.  My  dear  that  is  one  chief  reason  for  your 
being  sent  to  school  to  inure  you  betimes  to  the  unavoid- 
able rubs  and  uncertain  reception  you  will  meet  with  in 
life.  You  cannot  always  be  with  me  and  perhaps  it  is  as 
well  that  you  cannot.  But  you  must  not  expect  others  to 
show  the  same  concern  about  you  as  I  should.  You  have 
hitherto  been  a  spoiled  child  and  have  been  used  to  have 
your  own  way  a  good  deal  both  in  the  house  and  among 
your  playfellows  with  whom  you  were  too  fond  of  being  a 
leader :  but  you  have  good  nature  and  good  sense  and  will 
get  the  better  of  this  in  time.  You  have  now  got  among 
other  boys  who  are  your  equals  or  bigger  and  stronger 
than  yourself  and  who  have  something  else  to  attend  to 
besides  humouring  your  whims  and  fancies  and  you  feel 
this  as  a  repulse  or  piece  of  injustice.  But  the  first  lesson 
to  learn  is  that  there  are  other  people  in  the  world  besides 
yourself.  There  are  a  number  ©f  boys  in  the  school  where 
you  are  whose  amusements  and  pursuits  (whatever  they 
be)  are  and  ought  to  be  of  as  much  consequence  to  them 


132  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

as  yours  can  be  to  you  and  to  which  therefore  you  must 
give  way  in  your  turn.  The  more  airs  of  childish  self- 
importance  you  give  yourself  you  will  only  expose  your- 
self to  be  the  more  thwarted  and  laughed  at.  True 
equality  is  the  only  true  morality  or  true  wisdom.  Re- 
member always  that  you  are  but  one  among  others  and 
you  can  hardly  mistake  your  place  in  society.  In  your 
father's  house  you  might  do  as  you  pleased  in  the  world 
you  will  find  competitors  at  every  turn.  You  are  not 
born  a  king's  son  to  destroy  or  dictate  to  millions :  you 
can  only  expect  to  share  their  fate  or  settle  your  differ- 
ences amicably  with  them.  You  already  find  it  so  at 
school  and  I  wish  you  to  be  reconciled  to  your  situation 
as  soon  and  with  as  little  pain  as  you  can. 

Hazlitt,  from  On  the  Conduct  of  Life  ;  or^  Advice  to  a  Schoolboy. 

Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  paragraph  telling  what  you  think  are 
some  of  the  characteristics  of  a  gentleman.  Was 
Ernest  a  gentleman  ? 

Or,  write  a  paragraph  upon  this  topic  sentence : 

Some  people  seem  to  be  afraid  that  they  will  be  called 
polite. 

Or,  complete  the  following  story  so  that  the 
reader  will  know  that  Bill  was  a  real  gentleman. 

"  Say,  Jim,  where  were  you  last  week  ?  "  was  the  greet- 
ing Bill  gave  Jim  Banigan,  when  he  came  back  to  his 
regular  corner  for  selling  papers. 

"  I  was  at  home,"  was  the  reply ;  not  given,  however, 
in  Jim's  usual  spirit. 

"  What  have  you  been  doing  ?  "  was  the  inevitable  re- 
joinder. 


SENTENCES  133 

Jim  had  thought  all  that  long  Saturday  and  Sunday 
that  this  question  would  be  thrust  into  his  aching  heart ; 
and  he  had  fortified  himself  with  a  reply.  But  he  had 
not  thought  that  Bill  Brooks  would  be  the  first  to  ask  it : 
for  Bill's  stand  was  three  blocks  farther  down  the  avenue. 
He  was  glad,  though,  that  it  was  Bill ;  for  Bill  and  he 
were  good  friends,  and,  more  than  that,  Bill  was  "all 
right." 

Why  had  Jim  stayed  at  home  ?  Before  you 
begin  writing,  you  must  settle  that  question.  After 
Bill  found  out,  what  did  he  say  and  do  ? 

UNITY   OF    SENTENCES. 

We  have  learned  that  a  modifying  clause  never 
can  make  a  sentence;  and  that  certain  relations 
between  independent  clauses  make  it  imperative 
that  they  shall  be  joined  in  one  sentence.  The 
whole  thought  must  be  included  in  a  sentence  to 
give  it  unity.  There  are  times,  however,  when 
clauses  must  not  be  joined  in  a  sentence.  The 
unity  of  a  sentence  may  be  destroyed  by  including 
too  muoh. 

Sometimes  it  happens  in  compositions  that 
thoughts  entirely  unlike  are  put  into  the  same  sen- 
tence and  connected  by  "  but "  or  "  and."  The 
following  sentences  will  make  clear  what  is  meant. 
''  Benjamin  Franklin  proved  that  lightning  and 
electricity  are  the  same  ;  but  he  married  the  lady 
who  laughed  at  him  for  munching  his  rolls  in  the 
street."    Or, "  George  Washington  earned  the  proud 


134  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

title  of  '  The  Father  of  his  Country  ' ;  and  he  cut 
down  his  father's  cherry  tree."  The  thoughts  asso- 
ciated in  each  of  these  sentences  are  unhke  ;  they 
should  not  be  brought  together  into  one  sentence, 
for  a  sentence  expresses  in  words  one  complete 
thought.  In  such  sentences  there  are  two  separate 
and  distinct  thoughts.  They  have  no  relation  to 
each  other ;  and  therefore  they  should  be  expressed 
in  two  separate  sentences. 

In  the  following  there  are  a  number  of  illustra- 
tions of  the  error  just  mentioned.  Correct  the 
paragraph,  either  by  rearranging  the  parts  or  by 
casting  away  what  you  think  not  essential  to  the 
topic. 

About  this  time  Lowell  was  introduced  by  a  friend  to 
Miss  Maria  White,  who  knew  more  poetry  than  any  one  he 
had  met  before,  and  was  an  ardent  anti-slavery  beHever, 
and  lived  in  a  small  town.  He  was  much  attracted  by 
her  singular  grace,  her  boundless  enthusiasm,  and  her 
appreciation  of  beautiful  thoughts  ;  and  he  was  frequently 
found  lying  in  the  grass  or  sitting  on  the  fence  in  idle 
revery.  Lowell  belonged  to  the  aristocratic  set  in  Boston, 
and  Boston  aristocracy  was  not  ready  for  anti-slavery ;  but 
afterward  many  negroes  escaped  to  the  North  through  the 
help  of  Boston  people.  Whatever  effect  it  might  have 
on  his  prospects  of  success,  Lowell  was  thrilled  by  the 
ardor  of  Miss  White  in  the  cause  of  the  negro,  and  deter- 
mined to  throw  all  his  power  and  influence  into  the  strug- 
gle for  the  freedom  of  the  slave ;  and  he  wrote  some  trifles 
about  this  time  which  are  not  worthy  of  preservation. 


SENTENCES  135 

UNITY    OF    SENTENCES. 

An  error  similar  to  the  one  just  studied  may  be 
found  in  sentences  in  which  some  clause  modifies 
the  principal  clause,  and  is  itself  modified  by  an- 
other, and  so  on  until  the  last  clause  has  no  rela- 
tion to  the  first.  For  example,  "  Jane  bought  her 
language  book  at  the  Glass  Block,  which  stands  at 
the  corner  of  Sixth  and  Nicollet,  which  is  paved 
with  asphalt  and  has  to  be  patched  every  year  to 
keep  it  passable  for  teams  which  is  a  great  expense 
to  the  city."  A  sentence  is  a  group  of  words  ex- 
pressing one  complete  thought,  and  only  one.  The 
thought  of  this  sentence  ends  with  the  location  of 
the  Glass  Block  certainly ;  some  may  think  that 
even  the  location  is  not  necessary.  Surely  the 
expense  of  paving  the  avenue  has  nothing  to  do 
with  the  purchase  of  the  language  book.  Do  not 
have  more  than  one  complete  thought  in  a  sen- 
tence ;  avoid  all  straggling  clauses. 

Correct  the  following  by  making  a  new  sentence 
whenever  one  is  needed.  Cut  out  unnecessary 
connecting  words.  Be  very  watchful  of  the  word 
"  he."  Be  sure  that  it  refers  to  the  right  person. 
Then  write  the  paragraph  from  dictation.  Spell- 
ing and  punctuation  are  important. 

Lowell  was  married  to  Miss  White  in  December,  1844, 
and  soon  after  moved  to  Philadelphia  for  the  winter,  that 
the  milder  climate  might  benefit  his  wife's  delicate  health, 
and  he  returned  to  Boston  in  the  following  spring  where 
in  a  few  years  following  he  did  most  of  the  work  by  which 


136  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

he  is  best  known.  He  was  not  an  incessant  worker, 
though  he  could  toil  terribly,  but  he  generally  finished  his 
poems  with  the  printer's  errand  boy  sitting  in  his  best 
chair,  reading  his  morning  paper  while  he  waited  for  the 
manuscript  which  was  sure  to  be  good  when  he  received  it. 
He  wrote  Sir  Launfal  in  1848,  and  it  took  him  but  forty- 
eight  hours  to  do  it  and  he  scarcely  ate  or  slept  during  the 
time  he  was  composing  this  poem  which  is  the  most  popu- 
lar work  he  has  done.  The  first  series  of  Biglow  Papers 
were  written  about  this  time  too ;  their  theme  is  the  polit- 
ical condition  existing  at  the  time  of  the  Mexican  war, 
and  they  are  regarded  as  the  best  example  of  political 
satire  written  by  any  American.  Lowell  delivered  a  series 
of  lectures  at  Harvard  during  the  winter  of  1854-5,  upon 
the  old  English  poets  and  they  were  very  popular  with  the 
students,  and  when  Mr.  Longfellow  resigned  his  chair  at 
Harvard  Mr.  Lowell  was  appointed  to  take  his  place,  and 
given  a  leave  of  absence  for  two  years  to  study  abroad, 
which  he  did  at  Dresden,  returning  to  take  up  his  duties 
as  professor  of  literature  at  Harvard  in  1856. 

Composition  Exercise. 

"  Bird-Lore  "  is  a  magazine  devoted  to  the  discus- 
sion of  birdsj  and  the  experiences  of  the  men  who 
love  and  study  birds.  The  publishers  are  desirous 
of  getting  little  incidents  in  the  lives  of  birds,  which 
show  their  peculiar  habits.  Write  a  letter  to  this 
magazine  telling  a  new  story  about  some  birds,  — 
something  you  have  seen  yourself. 

Not  a  day  passes  when  Burroughs  or  Jefferies 
would  not  have  seen  enough  to  make  a  chapter  in 
a  book.     Even  the  English  sparrows,  which  we  are 


SENTENCES  137 

likely  to  hate  cordially,  are  exceedingly  interesting. 
Their  heads  are  full  of  shrewdest  bird-wisdom.  Be 
very  careful  of  the  punctuation  of  the  letter. 

ARKANGEMENT    OP   THE   PARTS    OP   A   SENTENCE. 

It  has  been  seen  that  groups  of  words  may 
be  moved  about  in  a  sentence.  They  should  be 
placed  as  near  the  word  they  modify  as  possible,  so 
that  there  may  be  no  mistake  about  what  they  be- 
long to.  Sometimes,  however,  a  phrase  or  word 
is  put  out  of  the  place  where  it  belongs  so  that  its 
unusual  position  will  call  attention  to  it.  Putting 
a  word  or  phrase  out  of  its  natural  order  makes  it 
emphatic. 

1.  Any  arrangement  that  will  throw  the  real  sub- 
ject after  the  predicate  makes  the  subject  emphatic. 

Example :  "  Lowell  wrote  '  The  First  Snowfall.'  "  "  It 
was  Lowell  who  wrote  '  The  First  Snowfall.' " 

2.  Placing  any  of  the  modifiers  of  the  predicate 
before  the  subject  makes  the  modifiers  emphatic. 

Example :  "  Lowell  showed  his  poetic  power  very  early 
in  his  life."  "  Very  early  in  life^  Lowell  showed  his  poetic 
powers." 

3.  Words  which  modify  a  noun  are  made  em- 
phatic by  being  placed  after  the  noun  modified. 

Example :  "  The  spacious  and  well-furnished  home  at 
Elmwood  was  an  ideal  place  for  a  poetic  youth  to  grow  up 
in."  "  The  home  at  Elmwood,  spacious  and  well-fur- 
nished^ was  an  ideal  place  for  a  poetic  youth  to  grow  up 
^n ;  "  or,  "  The  home  at  Elmwood,  spacious  and  well-fur- 


138  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

nished,  was  a  place,  really  ideal,  for  a  poetic  youth  to  grow 
up  in.'' 

"Words  and  phrases  out  of  their  natural  order  are 
usually  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  sentence  by 
commas. 

Many  examples  of  this  rule  will  be  found  in 
the  exercises  that  follow.  Find  all  the  cases  that 
are  explained  by  this  rule  in  the  next  two  exer- 
cises. 

By  changing  the  position  of  words  in  italics, 
make  them  more  emphatic. 

1.  We  visited  several  of  the  temporary  hospitals  this 
same  morning, 

2.  While  I  was  looking  for  it,  a  freight  train  started 
out, 

3.  I  saw  my  Captain  in  the  first  car,  on  the  fourth  seat 
to  the  right. 

4.  He  was  a  dark,  still,  slender  person. 

5.  Galileo  discovered  the  pendulum, 

6.  You  are  mistaken ;  Titian  painted  the  Assumption 
of  the  Virgin. 

7.  Lincoln's  motto  was,  "  With  malice  towards  none 
and  with  charity  for  all,'^^ 

8.  I  fell  into  a  high  road,  for  I  took  it  to  be  so,  though 
it  served  to  the  inhabitants  only  as  a  foot-path  through  a 
field  of  barley.  I  walked  on  here  for  some  time,  but  I 
could  see  little  on  either  side. 

9.  He  would  greedily  devour  every  printed  page  that 
fell  into  his  hands. 

10.  He  had  been  content  so  far  with  ragged,  patched, 
and  shaggy  "  Kentucky  jeans." 


SENTENCES  139 

Exercise. 

The  following  paragraph  is  from  Richard  Jef- 
feries.  You  will  remember  that  it  was  he  who 
wrote  ^^  Saint  Guido."  The  position  of  some  of 
the  phrases  has  been  changed.  By  making  those 
marked  "  1  "  less  emphatic  and  those  marked  ''  2  " 
more  emphatic,  you  will  be  able  to  get  the  para- 
graph into  the  form  in  which  it  was  originally 
written.  Write  it  from  dictation  after  the  class 
has  decided  what  changes  should  be  made. 

If  we  had  never  before  looked  upon  the  earth,  but  came 
to  it  suddenly  (2)  man  or  woman  grown,  set  down  in  the 
midst  of  a  summer  mead,  would  it  not  seem  to  us  a  radiant 
vision  ?  The  hues,  the  shapes,  the  song  and  life  of  birds, 
above  all  the  sunlight,  the  breath  of  heaven,  resting  on  it ; 
unahle  to  grasp  it  (1),  the  mind  would  be  filled  with  its 
glory,  hardly  believing  that  such  things  could  be  mere 
matter  and  no  more.  It  would  appear  lilce  a  dream  of 
some  spirit  land  (2),  scarce  fit  to  be  touched  lest  it  should 
fall  to  pieces,  too  beautiful  to  be  long  watched  lest  it 
should  fade  away.  It  seemed  so  (2)  to  me  as  a  boy,  sweet 
and  new  like  this  each  morning  ;  and  even  now,  after  the 
years  that  have  passed,  and  the  lines  they  have  worn  in 
the  forehead,  the  summer  mead  shines  as  bright  and  fresh 
as  when  my  foot  first  touched  the  grass.  Now  (1)  it  has 
another  meaning  ;  the  sunshine  and  the  flowers  speak  dif- 
ferently, for  a  heart  that  has  once  known  sorrow  reads 
behind  the  page,  and  sees  sadness  in  joy.  But  still  (1) 
the  freshness  is  there ;  the  dew  washes  the  colors  before 
dawn.  Unconscious  happiness  in  finding  wild  flowers  — 
unconscious  and  unquestioning,  and  therefore  unbounded. 
RiOHAKD  Jeffbries,  from  Wild  Flowers* 


140  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Composition  Exercise. 

Most  schools  now  have  flowers  in  or  about  them. 
Somethnes  in  crowded  districts  of  our  large  cities 
there  is  a  rainbow  of  flowers  high  up  in  some  win- 
dow. Write  of  your  feelings  when  you  look  upon 
a  bed  of  flowers.  Do  not  describe  a  flower  this 
time ;  you  have  done  that  already.  Do  not  try 
to  make  the  composition  long ;  just  a  paragraph 
filled  with  your  feelings.  Kemember  how  to  make 
any  part  of  your  thought  emphatic. 

Exercise. 

Punctuate  correctly  the  following  paragraph. 
Gives  rules  for  the  marks  used.  It  will  be  wise 
to  review  the  rules  for  the  punctuation  of  quota- 
tions. 

One  Sunday  I  went  with  him  a  few  miles  into  the 
country.  It  was  a  bright  soft  day  the  fields  and  hills  lay 
turned  to  the  sky  as  if  every  leaf  and  blade  of  grass  were 
nerves  bared  to  the  touch  of  the  sun.  I  almost  felt  the 
ground  warm  under  my  feet.  The  meadows  waved  and 
glittered  the  lights  and  shadows  were  exquisite  and  the 
distant  hills  seemed  only  to  remove  the  horizon  farther 
away.  As  we  strolled  along  picking  wild  flowers  for  it 
was  summer  I  was  thinking  what  a  fine  day  it  was  for  a 
trip  to  Spain  when  Titbottom  suddenly  exclaimed 

Thank  God  I  own  this  landscape 

You  returned  I 

Certainly  said  he 

Why  I  answered  I  thought  this  was  part  of  Bourne's 
property 


SENTENCES  .  141 

Titbottom  smiled 

Does  Bourne  own  the  sun  and  sky  Does  Bourne  own 
that  sailing  shadow  yonder  Does  Bourne  own  the  golden 
lustre  of  the  grain  or  the  motion  of  the  wood  or  those 
ghosts  of  hills  that  glide  pallid  along  the  horizon  Bourne 
owns  the  dirt  and  fences  I  own  the  beauty  that  makes  the 
landscape  or  otherwise  how  could  I  own  castles  in  Spain. 

CuBTis,  from  Prue  and  I. 

The  following  paragraphs  are  by  Richard  Jef- 
feries.  They  are  dripping  full  of  love  for  flowers, 
birds,  and  sunlight. 

I  came  every  day  to  walk  slowly  up  and  down  the  plain 
road,  by  the  starry  flowers  under  the  ash-green  boughs ; 
ash  is  the  coolest,  softest  green.  The  bees  went  drifting 
over  by  my  head ;  as  they  cleared  the  hedges  they  passed 
by  my  ears,  the  wind  singing  in  their  shrill  wings.  White 
tent-walls  of  cloud  —  a  warm  white,  being  full  to  over- 
flowing of  sunshine  —  stretched  across  from  ash-top  to 
ash-top,  a  cloud -canvas  roof,  a  tent-palace  of  delicious  air. 
For  of  all  things  there  is  none  so  sweet  as  sweet  air  —  one 
great  flower  it  is,  drawn  round  about,  over,  and  inclosing 
like  Aphrodite's  arms  ;  as  if  the  dome  of  the  sky  were  a  bell- 
flower  drooping  down  over  us,  and  the  magical  essence  of 
it  filling  all  the  room  of  the  earth.  Sweetest  of  all  things 
is  wild-flower  air.  Full  of  their  ideal  the  starry  flowers 
strained  upwards  on  the  bank,  striving  to  keep  above  the 
rude  grasses  that  pushed  by  them ;  genius  has  ever  had 
such  a  struggle.  The  plain  road  was  made  beautiful  by 
the  many  thoughts  it  gave.  I  came  every  morning  to 
stay  by  the  star-lit  bank. 

A  friend  said,  "  Why  do  you  go  the  same  road  every 
day  ?  Why  not  have  a  change  and  walk  somewhere  else 
sometimes  ?    Why  keep  on  up  and  down  the  same  place  ?  " 


142  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

I  could  not  answer ;  till  then  it  had  not  occurred  to  me 
that  I  did  always  go  one  way ;  as  for  the  reason  of  it  I 
could  not  tell ;  I  continued  in  my  old  mind  while  the  sum- 
mers went  away.  Not  till  years  afterwards  was  I  able  to 
see  why  I  went  the  same  round  and  did  not  care  for 
change.  I  do  not  want  change ;  I  want  the  same  old  and 
loved  things,  the  same  wild-flowers,  the  same  trees  and 
soft  ash-green ;  the  turtle-doves,  the  blackbirds,  the  col- 
oured yellow-hammer  sing,  sing,  singing  so  long  as  there 
is  light  to  cast  a  shadow  on  the  dial ;  for  such  is  the  mea- 
sure of  his  song,  and  I  want  them  in  the  same  place.  Let 
me  find  them  morning  after  morning,  the  starry-white 
petals  radiating,  striving  upwards  to  their  ideal.  Let  me 
see  the  idle  shadows  resting  on  the  white  dust;  let  me 
hear  the  humble-bees,  and  stay  to  look  down  on  the  rich 
dandelion  disk.  Let  me  see  the  very  thistles  opening 
their  great  crowns  —  I  should  miss  the  thistles  ;  the  reed- 
grasses  hiding  the  moor-hen ;  .  .  .  swifts  shot  through 
the  air  with  outstretched  wings  like  crescent-headed  shaft- 
less  arrows  darted  from  the  clouds ;  the  chaffinch  with  a 
feather  in  her  bill ;  all  the  living  staircase  of  the  spring, 
step  by  step,  upwards  to  the  great  gallery  of  the  summer 
—  let  me  watch  the  same  succession  year  by  year. 

A  little  feather  droops  downwards  to  the  ground  —  a 
swallow's  feather,  fuller  of  miracle  than  the  Pentateuch  — 
how  shall  that  feather  be  placed  again  in  the  breast  where 
it  grew  ?  Nothing  twice.  Time  changes  the  places  that 
knew  us,  and  if  we  go  back  in  after  years,  still  even  then 
it  is  not  the  old  spot ;  the  gate  swings  differently,  new 
thatch  has  been  put  on  the  old  gables,  the  road  has  been 
widened,  and  the  sward  the  driven  sheep  lingered  on  is 
gone.  Who  dares  to  think  then?  For  faces  fade  as 
flowers,  and  there  is  no  consolation.  So  now  I  am  sure  I 
was  right  in  always  walking  the  same  way  by  the  starry 


SENTENCES  143 

flowers  striving  upwards  on  a  slender  ancestry  of  stem ; 
I  would  follow  the  plain  old  road  to-day  if  I  could.  Let 
change  be  far  from  me.  .  .  .  Give  me  the  old  road,  the 
same  flowers  —  they  were  only  stitchwort  —  the  old  suc- 
cession of  days  and  garland,  ever  weaving  into  it  fresh 
wild  flowers  from  far  and  near.  Fetch  them  from  distant 
mountains,  discover  them  on  decaying  walls,  in  unsus- 
pected corners  ;  though  never  seen  before,  still  they  are 
the  same ;  there  has  been  a  place  in  the  heart  waiting  for 

them.  Jbfferies,  from  Wild  Flowers. 

After  a  careful  study  of  the  beautiful  language, 
commit  the  first  two  paragraphs  to  memory. 

To  v^hat  does  Jefferies  liken  flowers  twice  in  the 
first  paragraph  ?  Do  you  like  the  figure  ?  What 
were  the  poles  of  this  ''  tent-palace  of  the  delicious 
air "  ?  What  was  the  roof  ?  What  figure  of 
speech  is  this  ?  Can  you  think  of  the  bright  blue 
heaven  as  a  great,  sweet  flower  "  drooping  down 
over  us  "  ?  What  figure  has  he  used  here  ?  When 
you  read  Lowell's  ''  Violet,  Sweet  Violet ! "  or 
Wordsworth's  "  Daisy/'  do  the  flowers  seem  to  you 
to  be  little  people?  Can  their  sweet  souls  have 
ideals?  Is  their  ideal  anything  more  than  to  be 
simply  beautiful?     Of  what  use  is  their  beauty? 

Was  it  sweet  of  Jefferies  to  continue  in  the 
same  old  mind  "  while  the  summers  went  away  "  ? 
Do  you  like  the  old  things  you  have  once  loved  ? 
Do  swifts  with  outstretched  wings  look  as  if  they 
had  been  shot  through  the  air  '^  like  crescent- 
headed  shaftless  arrows  darted  from  the  clouds"? 
What  make  "  the  living  staircase  of  the  spring  "  ? 


144  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

Whither  does  it  lead  ?  Which  do  you  like  better, 
—  '^  the  living  staircase  of  the  spring "  or  "  the 
great  gallery  of  the  summer  "  ? 

When  sweet  faces  have  faded  as  the  flowers,  then 
are  the  old  things  best  ?  And  best  of  all  in  the 
springtime  is  God's  great,  beautiful  out-of-doors. 

The  year 's  at  the  spring, 
And  day  's  at  the  morn ; 
Morning 's  at  seven  ; 
The  hillside  's  dew-pearled  ; 
The  lark 's  on  the  wing ; 
The  snail 's  on  the  thorn ; 
God  's  in  His  heaven  — 
All 's  right  with  the  world. 

Browning,  from  Pippa  Passeso 


CHAPTER  IV. 

COMPOSITION   WRITING. 
KNOWLEDGE   OP   SUBJECT. 

The  first  necessity  for  a  good  composition  is 
knowledge  of  the  subject  on  which  you  are  writing.  O^ 
No  one  can  write  with  any  power  when  he  but 
half  knows  what  he  is  trying  to  tell.  In  describing 
as  simple  a  thing  as  a  tree,  one  should  know  ex- 
actly how  the  particular  tree  he  is  describing  looks. 
So  in  telling  a  story,  not  a  single  little  detail  that 
would  change  the  result  of  the  story  can  be  omitted. 
You  must  know  it  all.  It  is  very  often  the  case  that 
a  story  is  all  made  up ;  but  even  then  the  writer 
should  know  the  whole  story  from  beginning  to 
end.  Know  what  you  are  writing  about ;  and  write 
only  about  those  things  you  understand. 

Moreover,  every  one  is  interested  in  the  thing  he 
knows  most  about.  Every  day  that  dawns  upon  a 
pupil  with  a  good  lesson  closes  over  one  interested 
in  school ;  and  recitations  are  uninteresting  only 
to  the  pupil  who  has  not  prepared  his  lesson.  We 
all  like  what  we  know  most  about,  whether  it 
is  horses,  flowers,  or  arithmetic.  And  we  like  to 
write  when  we  know  what  we  are  writing  about. 
Full  knowledge  of  a  subject  makes  it  interesting. 


K 


146  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

It  is  when  you  are  interested  in  a  subject  that 
you  arouse  interest  in  others.  A  class  likes  to 
hear  a  recitation  from  a  pupil  who  is  full  of  the 
subject  and  just  aching  to  tell  of  it.  The  interest  of 
the  speaker  is  communicated  to  all  the  hearers. 
And  the  interest  you  have  in  the  theme  for  composi- 
tion goes  into  the  essay^  and  then  the  essay  becomes 
interesting  to  others. 

y  Knowledge  of  a  subject,  then,  is  necessary  before 
you  can  write  about  it.  This  knowledge  of  itself 
makes  a  subject  interesting  to  you ;  and  when  you 
are  interested,  you  will  write  so  that  those  who 
read  must  be  interested.  Knowledge  and  interest 
are  two  requirements  for  good  work  in  composi- 
tion. 

Composition  Exercise, 

Make  a  list  of  five  subjects,  of  each  of  which 
you  know  enough  for  a  good  paragraph,  and  about 
which  you  would  like  to  write.  They  may  be 
subjects  for  stories  or  descriptions  or  explanations. 
Possibly  there  is  some  incident  in  history  in  which 
you  are  especially  interested.  Or  it  may  be  that 
you  have  put  in  an  electric  bell  at  home,  and  this 
is  at  present  interesting  you. 

(The  teacher  will  find  that  subjects  given  by  the  pupils  are  the 
very  best  that  can  be  obtained.  These  subjects  should  be  kept  by 
the  teacher  for  use  in  the  future.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  put  a  list  of 
twenty-five  on  the  board  and  allow  the  pupils  to  vote  on  the  ten  they 
prefer.    These  may  be  used  in  the  succeeding  weeks.) 


COMPOSITION   WRITING  147 


INTEREST    GAINED   BY   WRITING   TO   SOME   PERSON. 

It  adds  interest  to  the  composition  if  it  is  di- 
rected to  some  individual  person.  Who  could  stand 
up  in  an  empty  room  and  tell  a  story  well  to  no- 
body ?  It  needs  the  other  person,  the  listener ;  then 
the  story  goes  along  without  stumbling.  The  story- 
teller tries  to  make  the  other  person  see  it  all  as  he 
saw  it,  and  so  throws  all  his  powers  into  the  telling. 
A  boy  could  not  explain  to  a  tree  how  to  make  a 
squirrel  trap  ;  but  he  could  tell  another  boy  so  that 
he  could  go  home  and  make  one.  Always  have  in 
mind  some  one  to  whom  you  address  your  composi- 
tion ;  it  will  give  it  a  directness  and  vigor  that 
cannot  be  gained  by  writing  to  no  one. 

Directing  a  composition  to  some  definite  person 
also  determines  the  manner  in  which  it  must  be 
written.  One  would  not  use  the  same  manner  in 
telling  a  story  to  a  five-year-old  and  to  the  mother 
of  that  same  child.  You  have  already  seen  that  a 
person  must  use  a  different  way  of  telling  a  Fili- 
pino about  a  sleigh-ride  from  the  manner  he  would 
adopt  in  telling  it  to  a  school-mate.  He  has  to  use 
comparisons  that  are  familiar  to  the  Filipino ;  and 
in  writing  to  a  child  he  needs  to  use  words  that 
the  child  can  understand,  and  sentences  so  short 
that  the  meaning  will  not  be  lost. 

Sometimes  a  person  writes  for  papers  or  maga- 
zines. Even  in  this  case,  he  should  keep  before 
him  some  person  to  whom  he  is  writing.     That 


148  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

person  should  be  one  of  the  class  that  read  the 
magazine  which  he  is  writing  for.  If  he  should 
write  for  "  The  Youth's  Companion "  or  "  St. 
Nicholas/'  he  would  address  himself  to  some  youth 
twelve  to  sixteen  years  old ;  but  should  he  write 
for  "  The  North  American  Review/'  he  would 
select  a  grown  man  or  woman. 

Compositio7i  Exercise. 
Using  one  of  the  subjects  you  suggested  in  your 
list,  write  an  anecdote  for  "  The  Youth's  Compan- 
ion." Remember  that  articles  in  this  paper  must 
be  short  and  right  to  the  point.  Keep  in  mind  a 
person  of  the  age  of  those  who  read  "  The  Youth's 
Companion/'  and  tell  your  story  to  him. 

THE  IiENGTH  OF  AN  ESSAY. 

The  purpose  for  which  a  composition  is  written 
will  change  the  style  of  an  essay  or  a  story ,  and 
also  its  length.  In  answer  to  the  question,  "  Who 
is  George  Washington  ? "  a  pupil  might  say, 
"  George  Washington  was  a  Virginian,  and  the 
first  President  of  the  United  States."  An  ency- 
clopedia might  answer  the  question  in  two  col- 
umns. But  Washington  Irving  needed  four  bulky 
volumes  to  answer  it.  The  purpose  for  which 
each  of  these  answers  is  given  determines  the 
length  of  the  treatment.  The  schoolboy's  answer 
in  a  test  required  but  a  short  sentence ;  the  ency- 
clopedia should  give  the  principal  facts  in  his  life ; 


COMPOSITION  WRITING  149 

while  Irving  has  given  ns  all  the  details  of  the  life 
of  the  man  for  whom  he  had  been  named. 

So,  had  you  picked  up  a  paper  in  Boston  in 
August,  1795,  you  might  have  read  this  notice  i 
"  The  Dauphin  of  France,  Louis  XVIL,  died  in 
prison  June  8,  1795.  He  was  the  son  of  Louis 
XVI.  and  Marie  Antoinette,  and  his  sad  life  was 
ended  before  he  was  nine  years  old."  The  papers 
in  Paris  would  not  have  been  satisfied  with  less 
than  a  column  for  such  a  news  item.  And  Daudet 
has  taken  a  similar  incident  and  made  a  pretty 
story  of  several  pages.  The  purpose  in  each  case 
has  determined  the  length  of  the  composition.  One 
is  a  news  item  in  a  paper  whose  readers  are  not 
especially  interested  in  the  Dauphin ;  the  second 
is  for  a  people  greatly  interested  in  his  death; 
while  the  third  is  a  story  for  a  book. 

Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  paragraph  for  your  local  paper  giving 
such  facts  as  you  think  would  interest  its  readers 
about  the  arrival  of  Blood-and-Thunder.  Do  not 
make  it  over  a  hundred  words  long.  Tell  the  im- 
portant things.     Omit  the  rest. 

CONDENSATION. 

It  is  often  necessary  to  condense  a  long  article 
for  some  special  use.  If  a  pupil  were  asked  to 
report  to-morrow  upon  such  a  topic  as  the  "  North- 
men in  America/'  he  could  not  give  all  that  may 


150  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

be  found  in  an  encyclopedia,  or  such  a  book  as 
Fiske's  "  Discovery  of  America."  Such  an  account 
would  take  too  much  time.  But  he  would  have  to 
read  the  whole  account  in  one  of  these  places,  and, 
from  the  whole  matter,  to  select  such  parts  as  he 
thought  the  most  important.  Such  a  process  is 
called  condensation. 

In  condensing  an  article  or  a  story,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  keep  the  proportion  among  its  several 
parts  as  it  was  before.  Important  facts  must  re- 
main important ;  while  unimportant  matters  should 
be  kept  unimportant.  The  whole  article  must  be 
read  through  to  know  what  are  the  important 
points  in  it.  If  a  person  does  not  grasp  the  whole 
article,  he  cannot  know  what  is  important  and 
what  is  not.  In  condensing  an  article  without  first 
reading  it,  a  person  might  use  much  of  the  begin- 
ning, and  find  that  after  all  the  best  was  still  to 
come.  Or  he  might  take  but  little  at  the  begin- 
ning and  find  that  the  best  was  finished  before 
he  had  obtained  anything  worth  while.  Look 
carefully  through  the  whole  article ;  and  then  go 
back  and  select  the  important  parts,  and  put  them 
into  the  condensed  paragraph  or  essay  you  are 
making. 

Composition  Exercise, 

Condense  the  story  of  "  The  Great  Stone  Face.'' 
The  important  points  in  the  story  are  the  follow- 
ing:  — 


COMPOSITION  WRITING  151 

1.  Description  of  the  Stone  Face. 

2.  Ernest's  Early  Life. 

3.  The  Coming  of  Gathergold. 

4.  The  Tour  of  Blood-and-Thunder. 

5.  The  Visit  of  Stony  Phiz. 

6.  Arrival  of  the  Poet. 

7.  The  Discovery. 

BEETHOVEN'S   MOONLIGHT  SONATA. 

Among  the  great  musical  composers  of  modern  times, 
there  have  been  only  a  few  who  rank  with  Ludwig  van 
Beethoven.  This  famous  man  was  born  in  Bonn,  Ger- 
many, in  1770  ;  he  died  at  Vienna  in  1827.  It  may  be 
truthfully  said  that  the  works  of  Beethoven  created  a  new 
epoch  in  the  history  and  development  of  music,  and  his 
compositions  lose  none  of  their  popularity  as  the  years 
go  by. 

Beethoven's  life  was  a  sad  one.  He  was  alone  in  the 
world,  and  the  object  of  unkind  treatment  by  those  who 
should  have  been  his  friends.  How  nobly  he  rose  above 
all  petty  annoyances,  we  can  readily  understand  when  we 
listen  to  the  grand  and  solemn  strains  of  his  immortal 
music.  The  following  story  illustrates  the  kindliness  of 
his  nature,  and  shows  how  some  of  his  works  seem  to  be 
almost  the  result  of  inspiration. 

It  happened  at  Bonn.  One  moonlight  winter's  evening 
I  called  upon  Beethoven ;  for  I  wished  him  to  take  a  walk, 
and  afterwards  to  sup  with  me.  In  passing  through  a 
dark,  narrow  street,  he  suddenly  paused.  "  Hush  !  "  he 
said,  "  what  sound  is  that  ?  It  is  from  my  Sonata  in  F. 
Hark !     How  well  it  is  played !  " 

It  was  a  little,  mean  dwelling,  and  we  paused  outside 
and  listened.     The  player  went  on ;  but,  in  the  midst  of 


152  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

the  finale,  there  was  a  sudden  break ;  then  the  voice  of 
sobbing.  "  I  cannot  play  any  more.  It  is  so  beautiful ; 
it  is  utterly  beyond  my  power  to  do  it  justice.  Oh,  what 
would  I  not  give  to  go  to  the  concert  at  Cologne ! " 

"  Ah !  my  sister,"  said  her  companion,  "  why  create 
regrets  when  there  is  no  remedy  ?  We  can  scarcely  pay 
our  rent." 

"  You  are  right,  and  yet  I  wish  for  once  in  my  life  to 
hear  some  really  good  music.     But  it  is  of  no  use." 

Beethoven  looked  at  me.     "  Let  us  go  in,"  he  said. 

"  Go  in !  "  I  exclaimed.    "  What  can  we  go  in  for  ?  " 

"  I  will  play  to  her,"  he  said,  in  an  excited  tone.  "  Here 
is  feeling  —  genius  —  understanding !  I  will  play  to  her, 
and  she  will  understand  it." 

And,  before  I  could  prevent  him,  his  hand  was  upon 
the  door.     It  opened,  and  we  entered. 

A  pale  young  man  was  sitting  by  the  table,  making 
shoes ;  and  near  him,  leaning  sorrowfully  upon  an  old- 
fashioned  piano,  sat  a  young  girl,  with  a  profusion  of  light 
hair  falling  over  her  face. 

"Pardon  me."  said  Beethoven,  "  but  I  heard  music  and 
was  tempted  to  enter.     I  am  a  musician." 

The  girl  blushed,  and  the  young  man  looked  grave  and 
somewhat  annoyed. 

"I  —  I  also  overheard  something  of  what  you  said," 
continued  my  friend.  "  You  wish  to  hear  —  that  is,  you 
would  like  —  that  is  —  shall  I  play  for  you  ?  " 

There  was  something  so  odd  in  the  whole  affair  and 
something  so  comical  and  pleasant  in  the  manner  of  the 
speaker,  that  the  spell  was  broken  in  a  moment. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  the  shoemaker;  "  but  our  piano  is 
so  wretched,  and  we  have  no  music." 

"  No  music !  "  echoed  my  friend,  "  how,  then,  does  the 
young  lady  — "     He  paused,  and  colored ;    for,   as  he 


COMPOSITION  WRITING  153 

fooked  into  the  girl's  face,  he  saw  that  she  was  blind. 
"I  —  I  entreat  your  pardon,"  he  stammered.  "  I  had 
not  perceived  before.  Then  you  play  by  ear  ?  But  where 
do  you  hear  the  music,  since  you  frequent  no  concerts  ?  " 

"  We  lived  at  Bruhl  for  two  years,  and  while  there,  I 
used  to  hear  a  lady  practicing  near  us.  During  the  sum- 
mer evenings  her  windows  were  generally  open,  and  I 
walked  to  and  fro  outside  to  listen  to  her." 

She  seemed  so  shy  that  Beethoven  said  no  more,  but 
seated  himself  quietly  at  the  piano  and  began  to  play. 
He  had  no  sooner  struck  the  first  chord  than  I  knew 
what  would  follow.  Never,  during  all  the  years  I  knew 
him,  did  I  hear  him  play  as  he  then  played  to  that  blind 
girl  and  her  brother.  He  seemed  to  be  inspired ;  and, 
from  the  instant  that  his  fingers  began  to  wander  along 
the  keys,  the  very  tone  of  the  instrument  seemed  to  grow 
sweeter  and  more  equal. 

The  brother  and  sister  were  silent  with  wonder  and 
rapture.  The  former  laid  aside  his  work  ;  the  latter,  with 
her  head  bent  slightly  forward,  and  her  hands  pressed 
tightly  over  her  breast,  crouched  down  near  the  end  of 
the  piano,  as  if  fearful  lest  even  the  beating  of  her  heart 
should  break  the  flow  of  those  magical  sounds. 

Suddenly  the  flame  of  the  single  candle  wavered,  sank, 
flickered,  and  went  out.  Beethoven  paused,  and  I  threw 
open  the  shutters,  admitting  a  flood  of  brilliant  moonlight. 
The  room  was  almost  as  light  as  before,  the  moon's  rays 
falling  strongest  upon  the  piano  and  player.  His  head 
dropped  upon  his  breast ;  his  hands  rested  upon  his  knees  ; 
he  seemed  absorbed  in  deep  thought.  He  remained  thus 
for  some  time.  At  length  the  young  shoemaker  arose 
and  approached  him  eagerly. 

"  Wonderful  man !  "  he  said,  in  a  low  tone  ;  "  who  and 
what  are  you  ?  " 


154  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

*'  Listen !  "  said  Beethoven,  and  he  played  the  opening 
bars  of  the  Sonata  in  F.  A  cry  of  recognition  burst  from 
them  both,  and  exclaiming,  "  Then  you  are  Beethoven !  " 
they  covered  his  hands  with  tears  and  kisses. 

He  rose  to  go,  but  we  held  him  back  with  entreaties. 
"  Play  to  us  once  more  —  only  once  more  !  " 

He  suffered  himself  to  be  led  back  to  the  instrument. 
The  moon  shone  brightly  in  through  the  window,  and 
lighted  up  his  glorious  rugged  head  and  massive  figure. 
''  I  will  improvise  a  sonata  to  the  moonlight ! "  said  he, 
looking  up  thoughtfully  to  the  sky  and  stars.  Then  his 
hands  dropped  on  the  keys,  and  he  began  playing  a  sad 
and  infinitely  lovely  movement,  which  crept  gently  over  the 
instrument,  like  the  calm  flow  of  moonlight  over  the  dark 
earth.  This  was  followed  by  a  wild,  elfin  passage  in 
triple  time — a  sort  of  grotesque  interlude,  like  the  dance 
of  sprites  upon  a  lawn.  Then  came  a  swift  agitato  finale 
—  a  breathless,  hurrying,  trembling  movement,  descrip- 
tive of  flight,  and  uncertainty,  and  vague,  impulsive  terror, 
which  carried  us  away  on  its  rustling  wings,  and  left  us 
all  in  emotion  and  wonder. 

"  Farewell  to  you,"  said  Beethoven,  pushing  back  his 
chair,  and  turning  toward  the  door  —  "farewell  to  you  !  " 

"You  will  come  again  ?  "  asked  they,  in  one  breath. 

He  paused  and  looked  compassionately,  almost  tenderly, 
at  the  face  of  the  blind  girl. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  he  said  hurriedly,  "  I  will  come  again  and 
give  the  young  lady  some  lessons!  Farewell!  I  will 
come  again  !  " 

Their  looks  followed  us  in  silence  more  eloquent  than 
words  till  we  were  out  of  sight. 

"Let  us  make  haste  back,"  said  Beethoven,  "that  I 
may  write  out  that  sonata  while  I  can  yet  remember  it." 

We  did  so,  and  he  sat  over  it  until  long  past  day  dawn. 


COMPOSITION  WRITING  157 

And  this  was  the  origin  of  that  Moonlight  Sonata  with 
which  we  are  all  so  fondly  acquainted.  Anonymous. 

Composition  Exercise, 

This  story  should  be  studied  so  that  each  can 
tell  it.  It  may  or  may  not  be  true  ;  but  any  way 
it  truly  presents  the  character  of  the  great  com- 
poser. 

Condense  this  story  about  Beethoven  into  one 
hundred  and  fifty  words.  Keep  the  important 
parts  in  the  story.  Notice  that  the  first  two  para- 
graphs do  not  really  belong  to  the  story.  Omit 
them.  Do  not  report  any  of  the  conversation 
directly,  but  indirectly  give  the  thought  of  the 
conversation.  How  many  important  points  do  you 
think  there  are  in  the  story  ?  Make  a  list  of  them 
before  you  begin  to  write.  Direct  your  telling  to 
a  boy  about  eight  years  old.  Keep  him  in  mind 
all  the  time  you  are  writing. 

PKOPOE.TION   IN   TKEATMENT. 

In  an  article,  all  the  parts  have  not  the  same 
importance.  If  a  person  should  be  asked  for  a 
condensation  of  a  chapter  upon  "  The  Discovery 
and  Exploration  of  America/'  he  would  have  to 
mention  a  large  number  of  men ;  but  he  would  not 
think  that  such  men  as  Balboa  and  Vespucci  are  as 
important  in  the  early  history  of  America  as  Colum- 
bus and  Raleigh.  So,  in  writing  such  an  article,  a 
person  would  not  give  as  much  attention  to  these 


158  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

minor  men.  Indeed,  it  is  usually  a  fair  test  of  the 
relative  importance  of  the  different  topics  in  an 
article  to  note  the  space  that  is  given  to  each.  The 
most  important  topic  requires  the  most  to  be  said 
about  it ;  and  a  topic  of  less  importance  requires  a 
shorter  treatment.  Topics  of  slight  importance 
disappear  entirely  in  a  condensed  article. 

In  the  condensation  of  a  long  article,  then,  two 
rules  must  be  observed  :  — 

First :  Some  of  the  points  of  the  longer  article 
must  be  omitted,  because  they  are  of  small  import- 
ance, and  must  not  use  up  the  space  that  belongs 
to  the  important  topics. 

Second :  Among  those  topics  that  remain  in  the 
condensed  article,  the  same  proportion  must  be 
kept  as  exists  among  the  parts  of  the  long  article. 

Exercise, 
In  "  The  Great  Stone  Face,"  how  many  pages 
does  Hawthorne  give  to  the  description  of  the 
rock  ?  How  many  to  the  visit  of  Stony  Phiz  ? 
Which,  then,  is  more  important?  Which  is  the 
most  important  of  the  seven  topics  given  on  page 
151?  In  writing  the  condensed  story,  which  topic 
should  be  given  the  most  space?  Did  you  write 
it  so? 

Exercise. 

What  men  are  the  most  important  during  the 
period  of  discovery  in  our  history  ?  Look  in  your 
history  and  learn  if  the  length  of  treatment  given 


COMPOSITION  WRITING  159 

to  each  supports  your  opinion.  If  you  have  them, 
look  in  different  histories  and  determine  whether 
they  agree  about  the  relative  importance  of  differ- 
ent characters. 

MALIBRAN  AND   THE  YOUNG  MUSICIAN. 

In  a  humble  room,  in  one  of  the  poorer  streets  of  Lon- 
don, little  Pierre,  a  fatherless  French  boy,  sat  humming 
by  the  bedside  of  his  sick  mother.  There  was  no  bread  in 
the  closet ;  and  for  the  whole  day  he  had  not  tasted  food. 
Yet  he  sat  humming,  to  keep  up  his  spirits.  Still,  at 
times,  he  thought  of  his  loneliness  and  hunger;  and  he 
could  scarcely  keep  the  tears  from  his  eyes ;  for  he  knew 
nothing  would  be  so  grateful  to  his  poor  invalid  mother 
as  a  good  sweet  orange ;  and  yet  he  had  not  a  penny  in 
the  world. 

The  little  song  he  was  singing  was  his  own, — one  he  had 
composed  with  air  and  words ;  for  the  child  was  a  genius. 

He  went  to  the  window,  and,  looking  out,  saw  a  man 
putting  up  a  great  bill  with  yellow  letters,  announcing 
that  Madame  Malibran  would  sing  that  night  in  public. 

"  Oh,  if  I  could  only  go ! "  thought  little  Pierre ;  and 
then,  pausing  a  moment,  he  clasped  his  hands ;  his  eyes 
lighted  with  a  new  hope.  Running  to  the  little  stand,  he 
smoothed  down  his  yellow  curls,  and  taking  from  a  little 
box  some  old  stained  paper,  gave  one  eager  glance  at  his 
mother,  who  slept,  and  ran  speedily  from  the  house. 

"  Who  did  you  say  is  waiting  for  me  ?  "  said  the  lady  to 
her  servant.     "  I  am  already  worn  out  with  company." 

"  It  is  only  a  very  pretty  little  boy,  with  yellow  curls, 
who  says  if  he  can  just  see  you,  he  is  sure  you  will  not  be 
sorry,  and  he  will  not  keep  you  a  moment." 


160  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

"Oh!  well,  let  him  come,"  said  the  beautiful  singer, 
with  a  smile  ;  "  I  can  never  refuse  children." 

Little  Pierre  came  in,  his  hat  under  his  arm ;  and  in 
his  hand  a  little  roll  of  paper.  With  manliness  unusual 
for  a  child,  he  walked  straight  to  the  lady,  and,  bowing, 
said,  —  "I  came  to  see  you  because  my  mother  is  very 
sick,  and  we  are  too  poor  to  get  food  and  medicine.  I 
thought  perhaps  if  you  would  only  sing  my  little  song 
at  some  of  your  grand  concerts,  may  be  some  publisher 
would  buy  it,  for  a  small  sum ;  and  so  I  could  get  food 
and  medicine  for  my  mother." 

The  beautiful  woman  rose  from  her  seat ;  very  tall  and 
stately  she  was ;  —  she  took  the  little  roll  from  his  hand, 
and  lightly  hummed  the  air. 

"  Did  you  compose  it,"  she  asked  — "  you,  a  child  ! 
And  the  words  ?  —  Would  you  like  to  come  to  my  con- 
cert ?  "  she  asked,  after  a  few  moments  of  thought. 

"  Oh,  yes  !  "  and  the  boy's  eyes  grew  bright  with  hap- 
piness, —  "  but  I  could  n't  leave  my  mother." 

"  I  will  send  somebody  to  take  care  of  your  mother,  for 
the  evening ;  and  here  is  a  crown,  with  which  you  may  go 
and  get  food  and  medicine.  Here  is  also  one  of  my 
tickets ;  come  to-night ;  that  will  admit  you  to  a  seat  near 
me." 

Almost  beside  himself  with  joy,  Pierre  bought  some 
oranges,  and  many  a  little  luxury  besides,  and  carried 
them  home  to  the  poor  invalid,  telling  her,  not  without 
tears,  of  his  good  fortune. 

When  evening  came,  and  Pierre  was  admitted  to  the 
concert  hall,  he  felt  that  never  in  his  life  had  he  been 
in  so  grand  a  place.  The  music,  the  myriad  lights,  the 
beauty,  the  flashing  of  diamonds  and  rustling  of  silks, 
bewildered  his  eyes  and  brain. 


COMPOSITION  WRITING 


161 


At  last  she  came;  and  the  child  sat  with  his  glance 
riveted  upon  her  glorious  face.  Could  he  believe  that  the 
grand  lady,  all  blazing  with  jewels,  and  whom  everybody 
seemed  to  worship,  would  really  sing  his  little  song  ? 

Breathless  he  waited, —  the  band,  the  whole  band,  struck 
up  a  little  plaintive  melody ;  he  knew  it,  and  clapped  his 
hands  for  joy.  And  oh !  how  she  sung  it !  It  was  so 
simple,  so  mournful,  so  soul-subduing ;  —  many  a  bright 
eye  dimmed  with  tears ;  and  nought  could  be  heard  but 
the  touching  words  of  the  little  song,  —  oh,  so  touching ! 

Pierre  walked  home  as  if  he  were  moving  on  the  air. 
What  cared  he  for  money  now  ?  The  greatest  singer  in 
all  Europe  had  sung  his  little  song,  and  thousands  had 
wept  at  his  grief. 

The  next  day  he  was  frightened  by  a  visit  from  Madame 
Malibran.  She  laid  her  hand  on  his  yellow  curls,  and, 
turning  to  the  sick  woman,  said,  "  Your  little  boy,  madam, 
has  brought  you  a  fortune.  I  was  oiBCered,  this  morning, 
by  the  best  publisher  in  London,  three  hundred  pounds 
for  his  little  song;  and  after  he  has  realized  a  certain 
amount  from  the  sale,  little  Pierre,  here,  is  to  share  the 
profits.  Madam,  thank  God  that  your  son  has  a  gift 
from  heaven." 

The  noble-hearted  singer  and  the  poor  woman  wept 
together.  As  to  Pierre,  always  mindful  of  Him  who 
watches  over  the  tried  and  tempted,  he  knelt  down  by  his 
mother's  bedside,  and  uttered  a  simple  but  eloquent  prayer, 
asking  God's  blessing  on  the  kind  lady  who  had  deigned 
to  notice  their  affliction. 

The  memory  of  that  prayer  made  the  singer  even  more 
tender-hearted  ;  and  she  who  was  the  idol  of  England's 
nobility  went  about  doing  good.  And  in  her  early,  happy 
death,  he  who  stood  by  her  bed  and  smoothed  her  pillow, 
and  lightened  her  last  moments  by  his  undying  affection, 


162  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

was  the  little  Pierre  of  former  days,  —  now  rich,  accom- 
plished, and  the  most  talented  composer  of  the  day. 

All  honor  to  those  great  hearts  who,  from  their  high 
stations,  send  down  bounty  to  the  widow,  and  to  the 
fatherless  child !  Anonymous. 

Composition  Exercise. 

This  story  has  been  divided  into  three  parts  by 
the  author.  The  last  part  can  easily  be  divided 
again.  Where  would  you  make  the  division? 
Frame  a  topic  sentence  for  the  first  part  of  the 
story;  for  the  second;  the  third;  the  fourth.  Which 
of  the  divisions  of  the  story  do  you  think  the  most 
important  ?  In  re-writing  it,  how  could  you  make 
the  reader  know  your  opinion  about  this  ? 

Write  the  story  in  four  paragraphs,  using  the 
topic  sentences  you  have  made.  Make  the  article 
for  the  "  Pall  Mall  Gazette/'  a  London  daily,  on 
the  second  day  after  the  concert.  Madame  Mali- 
bran  sang  first  in  London  in  1825,  when  she  was 
but  seventeen  years  old.  Her  popularity  increased 
steadily ;  but  she  died  before  she  had  reached  the 
fullness  of  her  power,  when  she  was  only  twenty- 
eight  years  old. 

REVIEW   OF  RULES  FOR  PUNCTUATION. 

Review  the  rules  of  punctuation  given  on  page 
318.  Give  the  rules  for  the  marks  of  punctua- 
tion found  in  the  second  part  of  this  story  about 
Madame  Malibran. 


COMPOSITION  WRITING  163 

AMPLIFICATION. 

Just  as  it  is  necessary  at  times  to  condense  an 
article,  there  are  occasions  when  it  is  necessary  to 
enlarge  an  article.  This  is  called  amplification. 
"  Ample  "  means  "  large  "  ;  "  amplify  "  means  "  to 
make  large  "  ;  and  "  amplification  "  means  "  the 
process  of  making  large."  The  process  of  amplifi- 
cation is  exactly  the  opposite  of  condensation.  In 
condensing  an  article,  it  is  made  smaller,  while  the 
proportion  among  the  parts  is  not  changed ;  and 
little  points  disappear  altogether.  When  an  article 
is  amplified,  the  proportion  among  the  parts  is  not 
changed ;  and  little  points  which  do  not  appear 
in  the  smaller  form  are  introduced  into  the  larger. 
If  you  should  be  called  upon  to  enlarge  the  compo- 
sition which  you  have  written  upon  Madame  Mali- 
bran,  you  might  make  it  into  the  form  of  the 
original  story.  Such  a  change  would  be  amplifi- 
cation. 

Bach's  life  can  be  sketched  in  a  few  lines.  He  came 
of  one  of  the  most  musical  families  in  the  history  of  the 
world.  His  brother,  an  organist,  gave  him  his  first  in- 
struction. He  was  an  organist  and  concert-master  at 
Miilhausen,  Weimar,  and  Anhalt-Kothen.  In  1723,  he 
became  Cantor  of  the  Thomas  school  in  Leipsic,  and  held 
the  position  until  his  death  on  July  28,  1750.  Bach,  like 
Handel,  sacrificed  his  eyes  on  the  altar  of  music,  and  died 
blind.  Henderson,  from  The  Story  of  Music. 

This  sketch  would  do  for  a  Dictionary  of  Music, 
but  it  would  hardly  suffice  for  an  essay  to  be  read 


164  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

at  a  literary  society.  The  sketch  would  have  to 
be  amplified.  Taking  just  the  early  life  of  John 
Sebastian  Bach,  let  us  find  the  material  for  such 
amplification.  The  sketch  says  that  Bach  "  came 
of  one  of  the  most  musical  families  in  the  history 
of  the  world."  In  the  encyclopedia,  how  many 
Bachs  do  you  find  mentioned  ?  Do  they  all  be- 
long to  one  family  ?  How  many  generations  of 
the  family  do  you  find  ?  Do  you  think  there  was 
music  in  their  homes  ?  Did  it  make  any  differ- 
ence with  the  love  which  the  children  had  for 
music  ?  What  topic  sentence  would  you  frame  for 
the  paragraph  upon  the  Bach  family  ? 

Incidents  in  the  Lii^  of  Bach. 

The  father  of  John  Sebastian  Bach  was  Johann  Ambrosius  Bach. 
He  was  shiftless  ;  played  a  violin  ;  whittled  out  many  musical  in- 
struments for  pleasure  ;  a  big  fiddle  in  Eisenach  which  he  made  was 
ten  feet  high  ;  played  at  dances  ;  in  churches  ;  loved  his  children. 
His  wife,  Sebastian's  mother,  died  when  Sebastian  was  but  eight 
years  old  ;  after  that  the  father  loved  his  children  more  than  ever  ; 
he  died  in  1695.  When  was  Sebastian  born  ?  Consult  the  encyclo- 
pedia. How  old  was  this  little  boy  wihen  his  father  died  ?  What 
would  be  a  good  topic  for  this  paragraph  ? 

When  his  father  had  been  buried,  Sebastian's  brother,  Cristoph, 
took  the  little  orphan  to  live  with  hini  in  Ohrdruff,  where  he  was 
organist.  He  taught  the  boy  to  play  the  organ.  Sebastian  sang  in 
a  boy  choir  ;  he  had  a  good  voice.  His  brother  had  much  music,  but 
said  Sebastian  was  too  young  to  care  for  it.  The  boy  picked  the 
lock  of  the  music  case  ;  copied  music  by  moonlight ;  his  brother 
caught  him  after  six  months  ;  took  the  music  all  away  ;  would  not 
let  the  boy  practice  upon  his  violin.  Sebastian  stole  away  to  woods  ; 
what  do  you  think  happened  ?  What  do  you  think  of  the  brother  ? 
What  would  be  a  good  topic  for  this  paragraph  ? 

Next  we  hear  of  him  walking  to  Hamburg,  to  hear  Reinke,  a  great 


o 


o 


COMPOSITION   WRITING  167 

organist,  play.  Find  Hamburg  on  the  map.  Possibly  you  will  not 
find  Ohrdruff.  It  is  a  very  small  town  near  Weimar,  and  about  fifty 
miles  southwest  of  Leipsic.  How  far  is  it  from  this  place  to  Ham- 
burg ?  Did  Sebastian  have  any  money  ?  He  carried  with  him  the 
violin  upon  which  his  father  had  played.  Would  this  do  him  any 
good  ?  How,  then,  do  you  think  he  obtained  food  ?  Where  did  he 
sleep  ?     What  did  he  do  when  it  rained  ? 

Describe  his  appearance  when  he  entered  the  great  cathedral  in 
Hamburg.  Did  any  one  notice  him  ?  Did  he  care  ?  Tell  how  the 
youth  felt  when  the  great  Reinke  began  to  play.  What  did  this 
day  mean  to  the  boy  ?     Did  he  speak  to  the  great  organist  ? 

Sebastian  came  back  to  Ohrdruff  and  played  better  than  ever. 
When  he  was  eighteen,  he  became  court  violinist  at  Weimar.  From 
this  time,  he  was  always  in  demand.  Why  ?  Have  you  heard  any 
music  written  by  this  great  man  ?  Did  you  like  it  ?  What  would 
be  a  good  topic  for  this  closing  paragraph  on  the  "  early  life  of  John 
Sebastian  Bach  "  ? 

All  this  is  but  an  amplification  of  the  first  four  sentences  in  the 
sketch  by  Henderson.  Notice  how  many  things  not  found  in  the 
short  sketch  are  mentioned  in  the  longer  story. 

(Note  to  the  Teacher.  —  The  teacher  should  make  herself  very 
familiar  with  the  lives  of  the  men  who  are  made  subjects  of  essays. 
Most  of  the  material  here  is  drawn  from  Elbert  Hubbard's  **  Little 
Journeys."  This  little  sketch  may  take  more  than  one  lesson;  it 
probably  will  require  two  or  three.  Have  a  part  done  at  one  time 
and  the  remainder  finished  later.  A  little  well  done  is  better  than 
much  carelessly  done.) 

Composition  Exercise. 

On  page  171  there  is  a  picture  called  "  Mozart 
Singing  his  Requiem."  This  man,  one  of  the  few 
greatest 'musical  composers  of  all  times  and  all 
countries,  died  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-five ;  but 
even  at  that  tinie  he  had  written  almost  seven 
hundred  compositions,  including  several  whole 
operas.     His  last  great   composition   was   ^^The 


168  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

Requiem ; "  and  on  the  night  before  he  died  sev- 
eral friends  came  in  and  sang  the  score  over  with 
him.     This  is  the  subject  of  the  picture. 

In  the  "  Vienna  News/'  on  the  morning  of  De- 
cember 5,  1791,  was  this  paragraph  :  — 

We  have  to  announce  with  regret  the  death  of  the  Im- 
perial Court  Composer,  Wolfgang  Mozart,  which  took 
place  between  four  and  five  o'clock  this  morning.  Famous 
throughout  Europe  from  earliest  childhood  for  his  singu- 
lar musical  genius,  he  had  developed  his  natural  gifts, 
and  by  dint  of  study  had  raised  himself  to  an  equality 
with  the  greatest  masters  ;  his  universally  favored  and 
admired  compositions  testify  to  the  fact,  and  enable  us 
to  estimate  the  great  loss  which  the  musical  world  has 
sustained  in  his  death. 

Suppose  that  you  were  living  in  Vienna  at  that 
time,  and  that  you  wrote  a  letter  to  your  cousin, 
telling  her  some  of  the  stories  you  had  heard  about 
this  man's  life. 

Is  your  cousin  old  or  young  ?  Shall  you  write 
with  hard  or  easy  words  ?  Shall  you  think  of  her 
while  you  write  ?  What  kind  of  stories  would  she 
wish  to  hear  ?  Make  a  selection  of  three  or  four 
of  the  following  incidents.  The  letter  will  then  be 
an  amplification  of  the  newspaper  announcement 
at  the  time  of  Mozart's  death.  Don't  be  afraid  to 
allow  your  imagination  to  fill  up  the  outlines. 

Incidents  in  Life  of  Mozart. 

Mozart  four  years  old  ;  father  and  Court  Trumpeter  entered 
house  ;  Mozart  working  at  desk  ;  father  asked,  " "  ;  Wolf- 


COMPOSITION  WRITING  169 

gang  answered,  " "  ;  father  said,  "  Let  me  see  it."   The 

boy  answered,  "  It  is  not  finished."  What  was  the  boy  doing  ?  Was 
it  good  ?  What  did  the  father  say  to  the  Trumpeter  ?  What  to  the 
boy  ? 

Father  was  director  of  music  at  the  court  in  Salzburg.  Musicians 
played  at  his  house.  One  evening  Wolfgang  wished  to  play  with 
them.  Father  refused  ;  one  of  the  men  let  the  boy  play  his  part  with 
him  ;  soon  saw  that  he  was  not  needed  ;  put  down  violin  ;  let  boy 
play  part  alone.  Could  the  boy  play  the  part  ?  What  did  the  father 
do  when  he  saw  what  had  happened  ? 

Wolfgang  had  a  sister  five  years  older  than  himself,  whom  he 
called  Nannerl ;  father  proud  of  children  ;  took  them  to  Vienna 
when  boy  was  only  six  ;  boy  played  at  court ;  pleased  all  ;  made 
Empress  cry  with  his  violin-playing  ;  then  jumped  into  her  lap  and 
kissed  her.  What  did  he  say  ?  What  did  Empress  say  ?  Slipped  on 
wax  floor  ;  little  Marie  Antoinette  picked  him  up  ;  he  said,  "  I  will 
marry  you."  The  Empress  asked  him  why  ;  he  said,  "  Because  she 
is  so  good."  Whom  did  Marie  Antoinette  marry  ?  How  much  older 
was  she  than  Wolfgang  ?  Where  did  she  live  ?  Was  she  happy  ? 
Would  she  have  been  as  happy  if  she  had  married  the  musical 
Mozart  ? 

In  1763-64,  the  father  with  the  children  went  to  Paris  and  to  Lon- 
don. Who  was  King  of  England  at  this  time  ?  Why  do  you  know 
him  so  well  ?  Did  you  know  before  that  this  king  loved  music  ? 
His  court  musician  was  a  son  of  John  Sebastian  Bach.  Wolfgang 
and  Nannerl  both  played  for  the  king  and  queen.  Which  did  the 
king  like  better  ?  Bach  took  Wolfgang  on  his  knee  ;  he  played  one 
measure  of  a  piece  ;  then  boy  played  next ;  no  break  in  time.  Was 
this  hard  ?  Then  Bach  played  a  little  way  in  one  of  his  father's 
great  compositions  ;  boy  went  on  and  finished  it  in  his  own  way. 
What  did  the  king  say  to  the  boy  ?   What  to  the  queen  ? 

When  boy  fourteen  he  had  written  two  operas.  One  was  given  at 
La  Scala,  the  great  theatre  in  Milan.  Can  you  find  anything  about 
this  theatre  in  the  encyclopedia  ?  Boy  conducted  the  opera.  He  was 
small  for  his  age.  Buried  in  flowers.  What  did  the  audience  say  ? 
What  did  they  do  ? 

Lived  in  Salzburg  where  he  was  born  until  he  was  twenty-five  ; 
then  went  to  Vienna.  One  day  in  winter  a  friend  went  to  his  house  ; 
found  Mozart  and  his  wife  dancing.  There  was  no  fire.  What  did 
his  friend  ask  ?  What  was  Mozart's  reply  ?  From  this  story  do  you 
think  musicians  were  well  paid  ? 


170  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Only  a  few  friends  were  at  Mozart's  funeral.  The  day  was  bitter. 
When  they  reached  the  cemetery  gate,  they  all  left.  The  sexton 
placed  the  body  in  a  pauper's  grave.  Was  it  an  honor  only  to  bury 
this  great  man  ?  Did  the  sexton  realize  it  ?  Did  the  people  ?  Read 
again  the  notice  from  the  paper. 

During  the  summer  before  he  died,  a  man  dressed  all  in  black 
came  to  him  and  asked  him  to  write  a  requiem  mass.  What  is  a 
requiem  ?  Mozart  agreed.  Was  paid  half  the  price.  When  time  was 
up  man  returned.  Was  not  finished.  Man  did  not  give  his  name. 
Some  mystery.  Mozart  was  superstitious.  Said  to  friend  he  was 
writing  his  own  requiem.  Was  it  ?  Did  he  finish  it  ?  Look  at  the 
picture  carefully.  What  do  you  think  he  feels  ?  What  are  the  others 
thinking  of  ?  Was  it  beautiful  to  die  so  ? 

FOR  MEMORIZING. 
THE  TRUE  BALLAD  OF  THE  KING'S  SINGER. 

The  king  rode  fast,  the  king  rode  well, 

The  royal  hunt  went  loud  and  gay, 
A  thousand  bleeding  chamois  fell 

For  royal  sport  that  day. 

When  sunset  turned  the  hills  all  red, 

The  royal  hunt  went  still  and  slow ; 
The  king's  great  horse  with  weary  tread 

Plunged  ankle-deep  in  snow. 

Sudden  a  strain  of  music  sweet. 

Unearthly  sweet,  came  through  the  wood ; 

Up  sprang  the  king,  and  on  both  feet 
Straight  in  his  saddle  stood. 

"  Now,  by  our  lady,  be  it  bird, 
Or  be  it  man  or  elf  who  plays. 


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COMPOSITION  WRITING  173 

Never  before  my  ears  have  heard 
A  music  fit  for  praise !  " 

Sullen  and  tired,  the  royal  hunt 

Followed  the  king,  who  tracked  the  song, 

Unthinking,  as  is  royal  wont, 
How  hard  the  way  and  long. 

Stretched  on  a  rock  the  shepherd  lay 

And  dreamed  and  piped,  and  dreamed  and  sang, 
And  careless  heard  the  shout  and  bay 

With  which  the  echoes  rang. 

'  Up,  man  !  the  king !  "  the  hunters  cried. 

He  slowly  stood,  and,  wondering. 
Turned  honest  eyes  from  side  to  side : 
To  him,  each  looked  like  king. 

Strange  shyness  seized  the  king's  bold  tongue  ; 

He  saw  how  easy  to  displease 
This  savage  man,  who  stood  among 

His  courtiers,  so  at  ease ! 

But  kings  have  silver  speech  to  use 
When  on  their  pleasure  they  are  bent ; 

The  simple  shepherd  could  not  choose ; 
Like  one  in  dream,  he  went. 


O  hear !  O  hear  !     The  ringing  sound 
Of  twenty  trumpets  swept  the  street, 

The  king  a  minstrel  now  has  found, 
For  royal  music  meet. 


174  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

With  cloth  of  gold,  and  cloth  of  red, 
And  woman's  eyes  the  place  is  bright. 
"  Now,  shepherd,  sing,"  the  king  has  said, 
"  The  song  you  sang  last  night !  " 

One  faint  sound  stirs  the  perfumed  air, 
The  courtiers  scornfully  look  down  ; 

The  shepherd  kneels  in  dumb  despair, 
Seeing  the  king's  dark  frown. 

The  king  is  just ;  the  king  will  wait. 

"  Ho,  guards !  let  him  be  gently  led, 
Let  him  grow  used  to  royal  state,  — 

To  being  housed  and  fed." 

All  night  the  king  unquiet  lay, 

Eacked  by  his  dream's  presentiment ; 

Then  rose  in  haste  at  break  of  day, 
And  for  the  shepherd  sent. 

"  Ho  now,  thou  beast,  thou  savage  man, 
How  sound  thou  sleepest,  not  to  hear  !  " 
They  jeering  laughed,  but  soon  began 
To  louder  call  in  fear. 


They  wrenched  the  bolts ;  unrumpled  stood 
The  princely  bed  all  silken  fine. 

Untouched  the  plates  of  royal  food, 
The  flask  of  royal  wine ! 

The  costly  robes  strewn  on  the  floor, 
The  chamber  empty,  ghastly  still ; 


COMPOSITION  WRITING  175 

The  guards  stood  trembling  at  the  door, 
And  dared  not  cross  the  sill. 


All  night  the  sentinels  their  round 

Had  kept.     No  man  could  pass  that  way. 

The  window  dizzy  high  from  ground ; 
Below,  the  deep  moat  lay. 

They  crossed  themselves.     "  The  foul  fiend  lurks 
In  this,"  they  said.     They  did  not  know 

The  miracles  sweet  Freedom  works, 
To  let  her  children  go. 


Safe  on  a  snow,  too  far,  too  high 
For  scent  of  dogs  or  feet  of  men. 

The  shepherd  watched  the  clouds  sail  by, 
And  dreamed  and  sang  again  ; 

And  crossed  himself,  and  knelt  and  cried. 
And  kissed  the  holy  Edelweiss, 

Believing  that  the  fiends  had  tried 
To  buy  him  with  a  price. 

The  king  rides  fast,  the  king  rides  well ; 

The  summer  hunts  go  loud  and  gay ; 
The  courtiers,  who  this  tale  can  tell. 

Are  getting  old  and  gray. 


But  still  they  say  it  was  a  fiend 

That  took  a  shepherd's  shape  to  sing. 


176  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

For  still  the  king's  heart  is  not  weaned 
To  care  for  other  thing. 


Great  minstrels  come  from  far  and  near, 
He  will  not  let  them  sing  or  play, 

But  waits  and  listens  still  to  hear 
The  song  he  heard  that  day. 

Helen  Jackson. 

In  the  ballad,  why  does  the  poet  say  that  the 
shepherd  was  careless  of  "  the  shout  and  bay  with 
which  the  echoes  rang  "  ?  Why  did  h*e  not  jump 
to  his  feet  when  the  king  appeared  ?  Why  did  he 
not  know  which  was  the  king  ?  As  the  king  and 
shepherd  stood  facing  each  other  which  was  really 
king  ?  One  verse  reads,  "  Like  one  in  dream  he 
went."     Where  did  he  go  ? 

Have  you  seen  a  good  picture  of  a  king's  court  ? 
Who  were .  there  ?  How  were  they  dressed  ? 
What  would  you  say  if  you  were  told  to  speak  or 
sing  in  such  a  place  ?  Could  the  simple  shepherd 
sing  there  ?  Why  not  ?  Is  there  not  another 
reason  ?  Can  the  nightingale  sing  in  a  cage  ? 
What  is  the  reason  for  his  silence  ? 

Where  had  they  found  the  shepherd  singer  ? 
What  was  he  doing  ?  Did  Mozart  sing  because  he 
must?  Do  you  think  that  his  beautiful  music 
came  to  him  when  he  was  in  a  crowd  or  when  he 
was  alone?  Do  you  know  whether  Beethoven 
loved  to  be  in  the  woods  alone  ?     What  would  he 


COMPOSITION  WRITING  177 

hear  there  ?   What  would  he  not  hear  there  ?   Did 
he  sing  because  he  loved  to  sing  ? 

Composition  Exercise. 

Condense  this  ballad  into  three  short  paragraphs. 
What  is  the  subject  of  each  ?  What  is  the  topic 
sentence  ?  Whom  have  you  in  mind  to  read  this 
to  when  it  is  written  ?     Will  he  like  it  ? 


CHAPTER  V. 

NARRATION. 

There  are  several  forms  of  composition.  One 
may  tell  a  story,  or  tell  how  a  thing  looks,  or  ex- 
plain something.  Dickens  wrote  many  stories,  and 
the  form  of  composition  he  used  in  them  is  called 
narration.  On  page  84  of  this  book  there  is  a 
paragraph  telling  what  kind  of  a  man  old  Scrooge 
was;  this  is  description.  A  pupil  is  frequently 
asked  to  give  an  explanation  of  a  problem ;  to  do 
this  he  uses  exposition.  Narration  tells  what  per- 
sons or  things  do ;  description  tells  how  they  look 
or  appear  ;  exposition  aims  to  explain. 

Narration  is  that  form  of  composition  which  tells 
what  happens. 

If  a  person  keeps  a  diary,  and  sets  down  in  it 
each  day  what  happens,  he  uses  narration.  If  one 
man  writes  what  happens  in  the  life  of  another,  as 
Mr.  Scudder  has  written  the  events  in  the  life  of 
Mr.  Lowell,  he  uses  narration.  If  a  man  relates 
the  events  that  have  happened  in  the  life  of  a 
nation,  as  Mr.  Fiske  has  related  the  history  of  the 
United  States,  he  uses  narration.  So  if  a  man 
makes  up  a  series  of  events  and  puts  them  to- 
gether in  a  story,  he  uses  narration.     A  diary,  a 


NARRATION  179 

biography,  a  history,  or  a  story,  —  each  of  these 
employs  one  form  of  composition,  narration.  It 
makes  no  difference  whether  the  composition  is 
written  in  verse  or  in  prose ;  if  it  recounts  events 
one  after  another,  it  is  called  narration. 

Description  is  that  form  of  composition  which  tells 
how  things  appear. 

A  man  with  his  eyes  shut  might  hold  something 
in  his  hand.  If  he  felt  of  it  and  found  it  nearly 
round,  rather  hard,  somewhat  heavy,  he  might 
guess  that  it  was  an  apple.  If  he  smelt  of  it  or 
tasted  of  it,  he  would  know  that  it  was  an  apple. 
Of  course  if  he  had  his  eyes  open,  he  would  know 
by  the  way  it  looked  that  it  was  an  apple.  Now 
if  he  wrote  out  how  it  appeared  when  he  felt  of 
it,  he  would  be  describing  it.  And  if  he  told  how 
it  looked,  he  would  be  describing  it.  Telling  how  a 
thing  appears  to  any  of  the  senses  is  description. 

Exposition  is  that  form  of  discourse  which  aims  to 
explain  something. 

A  boy  explains  how  to  do  an  example  in  per- 
centage, how  foot-ball  is  played,  how  the  President 
of  the  United  States  is  elected ;  in  each  case  his 
explanation  would  be  a  good  example  of  exposi- 
tion.    Explanation  is  exposition. 

"  Beethoven's  Moonlight  Sonata  "  is  a  good  ex- 
ample of  narration.  The  following  is  a  good 
example  of  description  :  — 

The  head  was  large,  with  a  grand  forehead,  great 
breadth  of  jaw,  and  somewhat  protruding  lips,  the  lower 


180  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

one  more  developed  in  his  later  years.  A  profuse  mass 
of  black  hair,  cast  upwards  and  backwards,  left  the  full 
open  face  —  the  more  striking  with  its  ruddy,  clean-shaven 
skin.  As  Beethoven  grew  older  and  bore  the  brunt  of 
excessive  troubles,  his  hair,  as  abundant  as  ever,  turned 
white,  but  remained  a  great  ornament  behind  his  red  face. 
The  eyes  arched  with  luxuriant  brows  were,  indeed,  the 
mirror  of  his  soul.  Large  and  jet-black,  they  were  full  of 
the  fire  of  genius,  and  on  occasions  of  special  joy  or  inspira- 
tion were  remarkably  bright  and  peculiarly  piercing.  The 
teeth,  beautifully  white  and  regular,  were  much  shown  in 
laughing ;  happily,  the  careless  man  at  least  kept  them 
brushed.  Unlike  his  hands,  Beethoven's  feet  were  small 
and  graceful.  The  former  were  ugly,  thick,  dumpy,  with 
short,  untapering  fingers,  which  could  stretch  little  over 
an  octave  and  afforded  anything  but  the  impression  of 
grace  or  fluency  over  the  piano  keys.  His  voice  varied. 
When  quite  himself,  it  was  light  in  tone,  and  singularly 
affecting ;  but  when  forced,  as  it  so  often  was,  on  occa- 
sions of  anger  and  temper,  it  became  very  rough,  and  far 
from  sympathetic.  Crowest,  from  Beethoven. 

In  the  following  paragraph,  the  author  explains 
the  topic  sentence,  which  says  that  "  Nearly  all 
the  great  music  of  the  world  has  been  produced 
in  humble  life."  The  composition  is,  therefore, 
exposition. 

It  is  a  curious  fact  that  nearly  all  the  great  music  of 
the  world  has  been  produced  in  humble  life,  and  has  been 
developed  amid  the  environments  of  poverty  and  in  the 
stern  struggle  for  existence.  The  aristocracy  has  con- 
tributed very  little  to  music,  and  that  little  can  be  spared 
without   detriment.     Nearly  all  the  masters  have  been 


NARRATION  181 

of  lowly  and  obscure  origin,  and  have  lived  and  died 
in  comparative  poverty ;  for,  with  rare  exceptions,  musi- 
cal composition  has  been  miserably  unremunerative  until 
within  the  last  fifty  years.  The  enduring  music  has  been 
the  child  of  poverty,  the  outcome  of  sorrow.  Sebastian 
Bach  was  the  son  of  a  hireling  musician.  Beethoven's 
father  was  a  dissipated  singer.  Cherubini  came  from  the 
lowest  and  poorest  ranks  of  life.  Gluck  was  a  forester's 
son.  LuUi  in  his  childhood  was  a  page,  and  slept  in 
palace  kitchens.  Haydn's  father  was  a  wheelwright ;  and 
his  mother,  previous  to  marriage,  was  a  cook  in  the  kitchen 
of  Count  Harrach,  the  lord  of  his  native  village.  While 
on  his  death-bed,  Beethoven  called  Hummel's  attention  to 
a  picture,  and  said  :  "  See,  my  dear  Hummel,  the  house  in 
which  Haydn  was  born ;  to  think  that  so  great  a  man 
should  have  first  seen  the  light  in  a  peasant's  wretched  hut." 
Mozart's  father  was  a  musician  in  humble  circumstances, 
and  his  grandfather  a  bookbinder.  Handel  was  the  son  of 
a  barber  and  surgeon.  Rossini's  father  was  a  miserable, 
strolling  horn-player,  who  led  a  wild  Bohemian  life. 
Schubert  was  the  son  of  a  poor  schoolmaster ;  and  his 
mother,  like  Haydn's,  was  in  service  as  a  cook  at  the  time 
of  her  marriage.  Schumann  was  a  bookseller's  son,  and 
Verdi  the  son  of  a  Lombardian  peasant.  Weber's  father 
was  a  strolling  musician  and  actor.  Wagner,  the  musician 
of  the  future,  was  born  in  humble  circumstances;  his 
father  having  been  a  petty  municipal  officer,  and  his  step- 
father an  unpretentious  portrait  painter,  who  at  one  time 
had  also  been  a  very  poor  actor.  Among  all  the  promi- 
nent composers,  but  three  were  born  in  affluence, —  Auber, 
Meyerbeer,  and  Mendelssohn.  With  these  three  excep- 
tions, they  developed  the  grandeur,  the  sublimity,  the  pas- 
sion, and  the  majesty  of  their  music  out  of  the  storms  of 
life,  the  pangs  of  sorrow,  and  the  hard  battle  with  fate. 


I 


182  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Exercise. 
What  form  of  discourse  is  "The  Niirnberg 
Stove"?  "The  True  Ballad  of  the  King's 
Singer "  ?  What  form  of  discourse  is  the  first 
stanza  of  "  The  Deserted  Village/'  found  on  page 
34  ?  What  form  is  the  first  stanza  found  on  pages 
54  and  57  ?  the  other  three  stanzas  ?  What  form 
of  discourse  are  the  illustrative  paragraphs  found 
on  pages  40-42  ?  Find  five  examples  of  description 
in  "  The  Great  Stone  Face."  Is  the  whole  a  story 
or  a  description?  May  there  be  description  in  a 
piece  of  narration?  What  form  of  discourse  in 
the  three  paragraphs  on  pages  147  and  148  of  this 
book? 

Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  paragraph  telling  a  pupil  in  the  sev- 
enth grade  the  difference  between  narration  and 
description.  What  form  of  discourse  will  your 
paragraph  be  ? 

AKRANGEMENT    IN  NARRATION. 

It  has  been  learned  that  under  the  head  of 
narration  are  included  such  compositions  as  diaries, 
biographies,  books  of  travel,  histories,  as  well  as 
stories  and  novels.  In  the  first  three  kinds  men- 
tioned there  is  a  simple  principle  governing  the 
order  of  the  parts :  they  are  arranged  in  the  order 
of  their  occurrence.  In  a  diary  or  biography, 
the  events  are  related  in  the  order  in  which  they 


NARRATION  183 

happen ;  and  in  a  book  of  travel,  the  different 
features  of  interest  are  spoken  of  in  the  order  in 
which  they  are  seen.  It  is  the  same  with  narra- 
tive histories ;  the  events  are  arranged  in  the  order 
in  which  they  occurred. 

Composition  Exercise. 

If  your  class  is  reading  Dickens's  "  Christmas 
Carol/'  write  for  Scrooge's  diary  the  events  of  the 
day  up  to  the  time  Marley's  ghost  appears.  Re- 
member what  kind  of  man  Scrooge  was,  and  think 
how  he  would  look  at  the  different  events  of  the 
day.  Was  he  pleased  with  his  nephew  ?  Did  he 
like  the  visit  of  the  men  soliciting  help  for  the 
poor  ?  What  did  he  say  about  them  when  he  wrote 
his  diary  that  night?  Make  any  additions  to  the 
few  events  told  by  Dickens  that  you  think  might 
have  happened. 

Or,  watch  a  baby  for  a  half -hour  and  tell  all  the 
little  things  he  does.  There  will  be  enough  to  fill 
several  sheets  of  paper.  Select  those  that  seem 
to  you  most  important.  As  you  write  have  in 
mind  your  grandmother  to  whom  you  are  intend- 
ing to  send  this  account. 

Or,  if,  as  a  boy,  you  have  lived  on  a  farm  or  do 
live  there  now,  tell  of  the  things  that  you  have  to 
do  in  the  first  half-hour  in  the  morning.  Do  you 
like  to  go  to  the  barn  and  care  for  the  horses? 
Do  you  have  to  milk  ?  Had  it  rained  during  the 
night?     What  difference   does  it  make   in  your 


/ 


184  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

morning  work  ?  A  girl  has  many  tasks  to  do  in- 
doors.    Of  these  she  may  write. 

Or,  write  the  biography  of  a  cat.  Put  yourself 
in  the  cat's  place,  and  tell  the  story  as  if  you 
were  the  cat  writing  to  another  cat.  (It  would  be 
well  for  the  pupils  to  hear  one  or  two  of  Helen 
Jackson's  "  Letters  to  a  Cat.") 

Or,  do  the  same  thing  with  a  dog's  biography. 

THE   MAIN   INCIDENT. 

It  is  more  difficult  to  tell  a  story  well  than  to 
write  a  diary  or  a  biography,  or  to  relate  the 
events  of  a  day's  or  a  month's  journey.  In  these 
last  all  the  events  are  noted  in  the  order  of  their 
occurrence,  and  there  is  no  reason  for  making  one 
event  more  prominent  than  some  others.  On  the 
other  hand,  when  a  person  tells  a  story,  one  of 
the  incidents  in  it  is  of  much  more  importance 
than  any  of  the  others.  This  incident  is  often 
called  the  point  of  the  story ;  and  may  be  called 
the  main  incident,  because  all  the  other  things 
in  the  story  contribute  to  this  one  incident. 

Where,  then,  should  this  main  incident  in  the 
story  be  placed  ?  Surely  not  at  the  beginning,  for 
when  the  point  of  the  story  is  told,  the  story  is 
done.  When  a  person  lets  the  main  incident  of  the 
story  be  known  at  the  beginning,  the  story  has 
been  spoiled  in  the  telling.  The  main  incident  be- 
longs at  the  end  of  the  story ;  and,  when  this  has 
been  told,  it  is  time  to  stop  writing. 


NARRATION  185 

Sometimes  a  person  would  like  to  put  some 
sentiment  at  the  end  of  a  story,  because  the  story 
teaches  a  good  lesson.  It  may  be  that  the  story 
has  taught  that  "  honesty  is  the  best  policy/'  and 
this  seems  to  be  a  rare  chance  to  write  a  good 
paragraph  to  say  that  it  pays  to  be  honest.  Let 
the  story  teach  its  own  lesson.  If  the  story  is 
well  told,  it  needs  no  help.  Never  put  a  moral  at 
the  end  of  a  story. 

Composition  Exercise. 
Write  the  beginning  of  this  story.     Here  is  a 
sentence  near  the  close. 

It  seemed  hard  to  little  Maggie  after  a  day  full  of  dis- 
appointments, to  be  so  unkindly  sent  forth  from  Scrooge's 
dark,  cold  office  into  the  darker,  colder  fog,  to  find  her 
way  back  to  a  bare  hovel,  where  warmth  and  plenty  and 
kindness  had  not  been  known  for  years. 

Or,  write  the  beginning  of  this  story. 

This  was  the  happiest  moment  of  my  life.  It  seemed 
as  if  nothing  could  be  added  to  my  enjoyment.  What  did 
it  matter  if  I  did  have  to  hoe  in  the  garden  to-morrow, 
or  pile  up  wood,  or  carry  papers !  For  once  I  had  been 
perfectly  happy. 

Or,  write  the  story  that  preceded  this  sentence. 

When  the  laugh  was  over,  Jennie,  thoroughly  wet  and 
dripping,  realized  that  the  joke  had  been  very  nicely 
turned ;  and  the  victor  of  her  fancy  had  become  the  victim 
in  reality.  • 


186  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 


THE  MAIN  INCIDENT. 

('  The  first  thing  in  writing  a  story  is  to  get  a 
firm  hold  of  the  main  incident,  the  point  of  the 
whole  thing.  This  main  incident  comes  at  the  end 
of  the  story.  But  during  the  composition  the  mind 
must  be  constantly  looking  toward  the  main  inci- 
dent, so  that  the  story  will  not  lose  its  track,  and 
for  a  while  be  about  something  else.  No  fault  in 
telling  a  story  occurs  so  often  as  digression.  This 
word  means  stepping  aside,  getting  off  the  track. 
When  a  man  ploughs  the  first  furrow  in  a  field, 
or  marks  a  field  in  straight  rows  for  planting  corn, 
he  sets  up  some  object  across  the  field;  then, 
keeping  his  eye  fixed  on  that,  he  drives  straight 
..toward  it.  And  that  is  exactly  the  way  to  tell  a 
l/  story :  tdl  it  straight  toward  the  main  incident. 

The  main  incident  helps  to  determine  what  to 
include  in  the  story.  All  incidents  must  he  included 
that  are  necessary  to  make  the  main  incident  pos- 
sible. In  "  The  Christmas  Carol,"  it  is  necessary 
to  include  the  different  staves,  because  they  make 
the  end  of  the  story  possible.  Scrooge,  the  hard- 
fisted,  grinding  miser  of  the  first  chapter,  could 
never  have  become  the  kind  man  of  the  last  if 
he  had  not  beheld  the  different  visions  which 
Dickens  has  told  us  of.  So,  in  the  story  of  "  Mali- 
bran  and  the  Young  Musician,"  the  little  boy  could 
not  have  been  in  the  opera  house  to  hear  her  sing 
if  one  of  the  incidents  told  us  should  be  omitted. 


NARRATION  187 

He  could  not  have  known  the  great  Malibran  was 
to  sing  unless  the  man  had  posted  the  bill  near  his 
house.  His  mother  had  to  be  sick ;  else  he  would 
never  have  felt  the  suffering  that  drove  him  to 
see  the  famous  singer.  He  could  not  have  entered 
the  opera  house,  had  he  not  called  upon  Malibran. 
So  each  little  thing  told  in  this  story  is  necessary 
that  the  main  incident  may  happen.  Keep  your 
mind  on  the  main  incident ;  it  will  tell  you  what 
you  must  put  in  to  make  a  good  story. 

The  main  incident  will  also  direct  you  in  keep- 
ing out  matter  that  does  not  belong  to  the  story. 

Supposing  that  you  knew  that  the  day  before 
the  story  of  Malibran  begins,  the  little  boy  had 
saved  a  girl  from  drowning.  It  would  be  interest- 
ing to  tell  about ;  but  it  does  not  belong  to  this 
story.  This  story  has  for  its  main  incident  some- 
thing entirely  different.  The  rescue  of  the  little 
girl  would  make  a  good  storj^  all  by  itself,  but  it 
does  not  lead  toward  the  main  incident  of  this 
story.  So,  if  you  were  writing  about  "Towser 
and  the  Woodchuck,"  and  the  main  incident  were 
a  dreadful  fight  between  the  two,  it  would  be 
quite  out  of  place  to  tell  what  you  fed  Towser  for 
supper  the  night  before,  or  where  Towser  sleeps. 
Keep  out  everything  that  does  not  contribute  to 
the  main  incident. 


188  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Composition  Exercise. 

At  the  time  Dickens  wrote  "  The  Christmas 
Carol/'  nearly  all  schools  in  England  were  board- 
ing schools.  Is  there  anything  in  the  story  that 
helps  you  to  know  why  Ebenezer  Scrooge  was 
sent  away  to  school?  Was  the  boy  happy  at 
school  ?  Why  was  he  alone  reading  in  the  empty 
schoolroom  ?  Was  it  his  only  pleasure  ?  What 
did  the  other  boys  do  for  fun  ?  Did  they  like 
Ebenezer?  What  do  you  think  they  nicknamed 
him?  Imagine  his  whole  life  at  the  school.  It 
will  help  you  to  know  one  class  of  English  schools 
of  those  days  if  you  read  chapters  from  "  Oliver 
Twist "  and  "  Nicholas  Nickleby/'  telling  of  their 
school  days. 

Now  write  a  story  in  which  the  main  incident 
is  the  arrival  of  Ebenezer's  sister,  Fanny,  to  take 
him  home.  Had  there  been  any  incidents  in  his 
life  that  made  him  very  glad  to  see  some  one  from 
home  ?  What  were  they  ?  His  sister's  arrival  is 
told  of  by  Dickens  in  Stave  Two  of  the  "  Carol." 

Make  up  the  story  before  Fanny's  arrival ;  that 
is,  before  the  main  incident. 

Or,  write  a  story  where  in  the  main  incident,  or 
climax,  some  one  says,  "  I  have  made  a  mistake." 
Make  all  the  minor  incidents  lead  up  to  this  main 
incident,  and  make  it  possible. 

Or,  write  what  preceded  this  situation :  — 

I  stepped  upon  the  piazza  lightly,  hoping  that  I  might 


NARRATION  189 

get  into  the  house  without  being  seen.  I  opened  the  door 
quietly,  and  there  sat  my  father  by  the  stove,  reading  the 
paper,  home  an  hour  earlier  than  usual. 

"  What 's  the  matter.  Jack  ?  I  thought  you  had  gone 
to  that  surprise  party  at  Rigby's,"  queried  my  father, 
looking  calmly  over  his  paper. 

"  Oh,  Charlie  and  I  did  n't  care  very  much  about  going, 
and  the  sleds  were  too  full,"  I  answered,  trying  to  appear 
unconcerned  and  a  model  of  a  generous  youth. 

But  father  knew  better. 

Exercise. 

Put  in  the  marks  of  punctuation  in  the  follow- 
ing. Think  first  where  the  sentences  end;  and 
then  be  very  careful  about  the  commas.  There  is 
but  one  semicolon  in  the  paragraphs,  and  there  are 
only  two  dashes  besides  the  two  that  are  already 
there. 

I  reached  the  fence  and  climbed  up  two  bars  of  it  and 
leaning  over  I  looked  this  way  and  that  for  my  twin- 
souled  partner  of  the  morning  it  was  not  long  before  I 
caught  sight  of  her  only  a  short  distance  away  her  back 
was  towards  me  and  —  well  one  can  never  foresee  exactly 
how  one  will  find  things  —  she  was  talking  to  a  Boy. 

Of  course  there  are  boys  and  boys,  but  this  was  the 
parson's  son  from  an  adjoining  village  a  red-headed  boy 
and  as  common  a  little  beast  as  ever  stepped  he  cultivated 
ferrets  his  only  good  point  and  it  was  evidently  through 
the  medium  of  this  art  that  he  was  basely  supplanting 
me  for  her  head  was  bent  absorbedly  over  something  he 
carried  in  his  hands  with  some  trepidation  I  called  out  hi 
but  answer  there  was  none  then  again  I  called  hi  but  this 
time  with  a  sickening  sense  of  failure  and  of  doom  she 


190  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

replied  only  by  a  complex  gesture  decisive  in  import  if 
not  easily  described  a  petulant  toss  of  the  head  a  jerk  of 
the  left  shoulder  and  a  backward  kick  of  the  left  foot  all 
delivered  at  once  that  was  all  and  that  was  enough  the 
red-headed  boy  never  even  condescended  to  glance  my 
way  why  indeed  should  he  I  dropped  from  the  fence  with- 
out another  effort  and  took  my  way  homewards  along  the 
weary  road.  Gtrahame,  from  Bream  Bays. 

Composition  Exercise, 

Write  the  story  that  you  think  preceded  the 
unhappy  ending  of  the  preceding  paragraphs. 

Or,  write  a  story  in  which  the  main  incident 
shall  centre  about  the  word  "  coward."  The  per- 
son may  or  may  not  be  a  coward.  Some  of  the 
bravest  deeds  may  appear  to  be  cowardly ;  not  all 
the  circumstances  are  known^,  and  so  we  hastily 
judge  by  what  we  have  seen. 

Or,  re-read  "  Beethoven's  Moonlight  Sonata." 
Imagine  yourself  to  have  been  in  the  room  with 
the  young  people  after  Beethoven  left  the  house, 
and  tell  the  conversation  which  took  place  between 
the  blind  girl  and  her  brother.  Be  careful  of  the 
punctuation  of  the  parts  quoted. 

Or,  tell  a  good  story  of  something  that  hap- 
pened at  a  party  you  attended.  Do  not  tell  a 
string  of  things  that  happened  one  evening  and 
have  no  other  connection.  Pick  out  one  good  in- 
cident and  make  the  most  of  it.  Tell  it  as  you 
told  it  to  your  mother  when  you  came  home. 


NARRATION  191 


CONSISTENCY  IN  A  STORY. 


A  story  should  be  consistent ;  that  is,  the  differ- 
ent parts  of  a  story  should  agree.  If  a  boy  from 
the  country,  who  has  never  before  been  in  a  city, 
be  introduced  into  a  story,  it  would  be  wrong  to 
make  him  entirely  familiar  with  street  cars,  tele- 
phones, gas,  and  theatres.  In  exactly  the  same 
way,  a  city-bred  girl  would  not  be  expected  to 
know  how  to  harness  a  horse,  milk  a  cow,  or 
handle  a  harvester.  If  the  story  is  of  times  two 
hundred  years  ago,  it  must  have  no  railroads, 
steamboats,  or  telegraphs ;  men  must  wear  wigs, 
gay  clothes,  breeches,  knee-buckles,  hose,  and  slip- 
pers. To  introduce  modern  costumes  into  such  a 
story  would  be  inconsistent.  So,  too,  if  a  foreigner 
newly  arrived  be  brought  into  a  story,  he  must 
retain  his  nationality.  All  the  parts  of  a  story 
must  be  consistent. 

Moreover,  a  story  must  harmonize  with  the  laws 
of  nature.  Water  will  not  run  up-hill,  even  in  a 
story.  Though  in  "  Ivanhoe,"  Scott  has  dared  to 
call  a  dead  man  back  to  life,  dead  men  should 
remain  dead.  A  man  cannot  jump  across  a  river ; 
neither  can  a  seven-year-old  carry  her  mother  from 
a  burning  building.  Dogs  stay  dogs,  horses  are 
horses,  and  men  can  only  do  what  men  do  do  in 
every-day  life.  Every  person  and  thing  in  a  story 
must  obey  the  laws  of  nature. 

In  one  case,  however,  things  may  do  just  what 


192  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

you  please  to  have  them  do.  There  are  no  laws  in 
fairy  land.  There  walruses  talk,  the  little  dogs 
laugh,  and  the  cow  jumps  over  the  moon.  Wagner 
was  criticised  because  he  made  a  monster  dragon 
sing ;  but  one  of  his  defenders  answered,  "  But, 
come  to  think  of  it,  I  have  never  met  a  dragon 
that  could  not  sing."  Possibly  dragons  do  sing  in 
fairy  land.  The  only  thing  you  must  not  do  in  this 
kind  of  a  story  is,  after  you  have  had  the  walrus 
talking,  the  dog  laughing,  and  the  cow  making 
such  marvelous  jumps,  to  turn  these  animals  back 
into  just  ordinary  animals.  They  must  remain  as 
they  were.     The  whole  story  must  be  consistent.. 

Composition  Exercise. 

The  story  of  Scrooge  is  a  dream,  and  things 
occur  in  it  which  could  not  really  happen.  If  you 
wish,  you  may  make  up  another  incident  to  fit 
into  the  Carol.  Be  sure  that  it  is  consistent  with 
the  remainder  of  the  story. 

Or,  write  up  one  of  your  own  dreams.  Eemem- 
ber  that  you  can  do  anything  in  this  dream ;  and 
do  not  forget  that  people  usually  wake  up  in  the 
most  exciting  place.  This  will  put  the  main  inci- 
dent at  the  end,  just  as  it  should  be. 

Or,  if  you  can,  you  may  write  a  fairy  story. 

Or,  the  instructor  will  read  the  beginning  of 
"The  Reluctant  Dragon,"  in  "The  Golden  Age." 
Then  you  will  finish  the  story  as  you  think  it 
should  be. 


NARRATION  193 

THE   BEGINNING  OF   A   STORY. 

We  have  learned  that  the  story  teller  must  know 
how  his  story  is  coming  out  before  he  begins ;  that 
the  main  incident  must  be  near  the  end  of  the 
story ;  that  this  incident  will  guide  him  in  deter- 
mining what  to  put  into  the  story,  and  what  to 
keep  out;  that  all  the  parts  must  be  consistent. 
One  more  point  should  be  mentioned  before  leav- 
ing narration :  — 

The  heginning  of  a  story  must  he  interesting. 

If  one  wishes  his  story  to  be  read,  he  must  place 
at  the  beginning  something  that  will  catch  the 
reader's  attention,  —  something  that  will  interest 
him.  Descriptions  of  places  or  of  persons  must  be 
very  well  done  to  hold  the  attention ;  so  it  is  not 
best  to  begin  a  story  with  descriptions.  Have 
something  doing,  or  some  bright  conversation  going 
on  at  the  beginning ;  and  so  get  the  reader's  interest 
aroused  in  the  story.  Then  he  will  go  on  and  read 
the  duller  places  because  they  add  something  to 
the  story  in  which  he  is  already  interested.  Give 
the  story  a  good  start. 

In  the  beginning  of  a  story,  three  things  must 
be  introduced  :  namely,  the  principal  characters^  i^ 
the  place^  and  the  time  of  the  story.  Readers  like 
to  know  at  once  when  the  story  happened ;  it  makes 
it  more  real.  They  like  to  know  where  it  was ; 
for  this,  too,  makes  it  more  real.     And  they  must 


194  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

know  the  principal  characters.  Whefi^  where,  and 
who  must  be  introduced  near  the  beginning  of  the 
story.  And  they  must  be  introduced  in  a  way  that 
will  awaken  the  interest  at  once. 

The  beginnings  of  two  stories  are  given  here. 
Do  you  think  they  catch  the  attention  ?  Are  they 
interesting  as  far  as  you  have  them?  Do  you 
know  who  is  the  principal  character  in  each  ?  Is 
there  anything  in  each  that  tells  you  when  it  hap- 
pened ?  Do  you  know  at  what  kind  of  a  place  each 
has  occurred  ?  Does  each  of  these  stories  have  the 
proper  beginning  ? 

The  Imp  strolled  out  of  the  big  summer  hotel  with  that 
careless  and  disengaged  air  that  meant  particular  and 
pressing  business.  It  was  early  —  lunch  was  barely  over 
—  and  he  was  the  only  person  on  the  broad  piazza.  As 
he  rounded  the  corner  he  ran  against  Bell-boy  No.  5,  a 
great  friend  of  his. 

"  Hello,  Imp  !  "  shouted  No.  5,  "  where  you  goin'  ?  " 

"  To  the  theatre  to  buy  my  ticket  for  the  play  ! "  an- 
nounced the  Imp  proudly. 

"  Oh  !  "  said  No.  5,  "  guess  I  'd  ruther  go  to  the  circus 
over  at  Milltown.  That 's  to-day,  too.  Why  don't  you 
go  there  ?  Ev'rybody  in  town  's  goin'  except  these  hotel 
folks.     Why  don't  you  go  ?  " 

The  Imp  frowned.     This  was  a  tender  point. 

Emmy  Lou,  laboriously  copying  digits,  looked  up.  The 
boy  sitting  in  line  in  the  next  row  of  desks  was  making 
signs  to  Emmy  Lou. 

Emmy  Lou  had  noticed  the  little  boy  before.  He  was 
a  square  little  boy.     He  had  a  sprinkling  of  freckles  over 


NARRATION  195 

the  bridge  of  his  nose,  and  a  cheerful  breadth  of  nostrils. 
And  his  teeth  were  wide  apart,  and  his  smile  was  broad 
and  constant.  Not  that  Emmy  Lou  could  have  told  all 
this.  Emmy  Lou  only  knew  that  to  her,  the  knowledge 
of  the  little  boy  concerning  the  things  peculiar  to  the 
Primer  World  seemed  limitless. 

And  now  the  little  boy  was  beckoning  Emmy  Lou. 
Emmy  Lou  did  not  know  the  little  boy.  Neither  did  she 
know  anything  of  the  seventy  other  little  boys  and  girls 
making  the  Primer  Class.  Martin,  from  Emmy  Lou. 

Composition  Exercise. 

For  composition,  finish  either  of  these  stories  as 
you  think  it  would  turn  out.  Kemember  that  be- 
fore you  begin  to  write  you  must  know  the  point 
of  your  story,  — just  how  it  is  to  come  out.  Keep 
that  main  incident  clearly  in  mind,  and  write 
toward  it.  Do  not  put  into  your  story  anything 
that  does  not  contribute  to  the  main  incident. 

The  paragraph  below  is  near  the  end  of  the 
story.  It  gives  a  distinct  picture  of  a  climax. 
Write  what  led  up  to  this  situation. 

"  Dried  beef !  licorice !  Oh,  heavens  !  "  cried  Mrs. 
Schuyler.  "  Algernon,  how  did  you  dare  ?  You  will  be 
sick  for  weeks !     You  are  in  a  fever  now !  " 

Or,  write  a  story  entitled  "  Adventures  of  New 
Year's  Eve,"  of  which  the  following  is  a  begin- 
ning :  — 

Mother  Kate,  the  watchman's  wife,  at  nine  o'clock  on 
New  Year's  Eve,  opened  her  little  window,  and  put  out 
her  head  into  the  night  air.     The  snow  was  reddened  by 


196  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

the  light  from  the  window  as  it  fell  in  silent,  heavy  flakes 
upon  the  street.  She  observed  the  crowds  of  happy  people, 
hurrying  to  and  fro  from  the  brilliantly  lighted  shops  with 
presents,  or  pouring  out  of  the  various  inns  and  coffee- 
houses, and  going  to  the  dances  and  other  entertainments 
with  which  the  New  Year  is  married  to  the  Old  in  joy  and 
pleasure.  But  when  a  few  cold  flakes  had  lighted  on  her 
nose,  she  drew  back  her  head,  closed  the  window,  and  said 
to  her  husband :  "  Gottlieb,  stay  at  home  and  let  Philip 
watch  for  thee  to-night ;  for  the  snow  comes  as  fast  as  it 
can  from  heaven,  and  thou  knowest  the  cold  does  thy  old 
bones  no  good.  The  streets  will  be  gay  to-night.  There 
seems  to  be  dancing  and  feasting  in  every  house  ;  masquer- 
aders  are  going  about ;   and  Philip  will  enjoy  the  sport." 

HERVfi  KIEL. 
I. 

On  the  sea  and  at  the  Hogue,  sixteen  hundred  ninety- 
two. 
Did  the  English  fight  the  French,  —  woe  to  France  ! 

And,  the  thirty-first  of  May,  helter-skelter  through  the 
blue. 

Like  a  crowd  of  frightened  porpoises  a  shoal  of  sharks 
pursue, 
Came    crowding   ship  on    ship  to  Saint  Malo  on  the 
Ranee, 

With  the  English  fleet  in  view. 

n. 

'T  was  the  squadron  that  escaped,  with  the  victor  in  full 
chase ; 
First  and  foremost  of  the  drove,  in  his  great  ship,  Dam- 
f reville ; 


NAKRATION  197 

Close  on  him  fled,  great  and  small, 
Twenty-two  good  ships  in  all ; 
And  they  signalled  to  the  place 
"  Help  the  winners  of  a  race  ! 

Get  us  guidance,  give  us  harbor,  take  us  quick  —  or, 

quicker  still. 
Here  's  the  English  can  and  will  I  " 

III. 

Then  the  pilots  of  the  place  put  out  brisk  and  leapt  on 
board  ; 
"  Why,  what  hope  or  chance  have  ships  like  these  to 
pass  ?  "  laughed  they  : 
"  Eocks  to  starboard,  rocks  to  port,  all  the  passage  scarred 

and  scored. 
Shall  the  '  Formidable '  here  with  her  twelve  and  eighty 
guns 
Think  to  make  the  river-m®uth  by  the  single  narrow 
way. 
Trust  to  enter  where  't  is  ticklish  for  a  craft  of  twenty 
tons. 
And  with  flow  at  full  beside  ? 
Now,  't  is  slackest  ebb  of  tide. 
Eeach  the  mooring?     Rather  say, 
While  rock  stands  or  water  runs. 
Not  a  ship  will  leave  the  bay !  " 

IV. 

Then  was  called  a  council  straight. 

Brief  and  bitter  the  debate : 

"  Here 's  the  English  at  our  heels  ;  would  you  have  them 

take  in  tow 
All  that 's  left  us  of  the  fleet,  linked  together  stern  and 

bow, 


198  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

For  a  prize  to  Plymouth  Sound  ? 
Better  run  the  ships  aground !  " 

(Ended  Damfreville  his  speech). 
"  Not  a  minute  more  to  wait ! 

Let  the  Captains  all  and  each 

Shove  ashore,  then  blow  up,  burn  the  vessels  on  the 
beach ! 
France  must  undergo  her  fate. 

V. 

"  Give  the  word  !  "     But  no  such  word 
Was  ever  spoke  or  heard ; 

For  up  stood,  for  out  stepped,  for  in  struck  amid  all 
these 
—  A  Captain  ?     A  Lieutenant  ?     A  Mate  —  first,  second, 
third? 
No  such  man  of  mark,  and  meet 
With  his  betters  to  compete  ! 

But  a  simple  Breton  sailor  pressed  by  Tourville  for 
the  fleet, 
A  poor  coasting-pilot  he,  Herve  Kiel  the  Croisickese. 

VI. 

And  "  What  mockery  or  malice  have  we  here  ?  "  cries 
Herv^  Kiel : 
''Are  you   mad,   you   Malouins?     Are   you   cowards, 
fools,  or  rogues  ? 

Talk  to  me  of  rocks  and  shoals,  me  who  took  the  sound- 
ings, tell 

On  my  fingers  every  bank,  every  shallow,  every  swell, 
'Twixt  the  offing  here  and  Greve  where  the  river  dis- 
embogues ? 

Are  you  bought  by  English  gold  ?     Is  it  love  the  lying 's 
for? 


NARRATION  199 

Morn  and  eve,  night  and  day, 
Have  I  piloted  your  bay, 
Entered  free  and  anchored  fast  at  the  foot  of  Solidor. 
Burn  the  fleet  and  ruin  France?     That  were  worse 
than  fifty  Hogues ! 
Sirs,  they  know  I  speak  the  truth  !     Sirs,  believe  me 
there  's  a  way ! 
Only  let  me  lead  the  line, 

Have  the  biggest  ship  to  steer, 
Get  this  '  Formidable  '  clear, 
Make  the  others  follow  mine, 

And  I  lead  them,  most  and  least,  by  a  passage  I  know  well, 
Right  to  Solidor  past  Greve, 

And  there  lay  them  safe  and  sound ; 
And  if  one  ship  misbehave, 
—  Keel  so  much  as  grate  the  ground, 
Why,   I  've  nothing  but  my  life,  —  here  's  my  head !  '* 
cries  Herve  Eiel. 

VII. 

Not  a  minute  more  to  wait. 

"  Steer  us  in,  then,  small  and  great ! 

Take  the  helm,  lead  the  line,  save  the  squadron !  "  cried 
its  chief. 
Captains,  give  the  sailor  place ! 

He  is  Admiral,  in  brief. 
Still  the  north-wind,  by  God's  grace  ! 
See  the  noble  fellow's  face 
As  the  big  ship,  with  a  bound. 
Clears  the  entry  like  a  hound. 

Keeps  the  passage  as  its  inch  of  way  were  the  wide  sea's 
profound ! 

See,  safe  through  shoal  and  rock, 

How  they  follow  in  a  flock, 


200  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Not  a  ship  that  misbehaves,  not  a  keel  that  grates  the 
ground, 
Not  a  spar  that  comes  to  grief  I 
The  peril,  see,  is  past. 
All  are  harbored  to  the  last, 

And  just  as  Herve  Kiel  hollas  "  Anchor !  "  — sure  as  fate, 
Up  the  English  come  —  too  late  ! 

VIII. 

So,  the  storm  subsides  to  calm : 

They  see  the  green  trees  wave 

On  the  heights  o'erlooking  Greve. 
Hearts  that  bled  are  stanched  with  balm. 
"  Just  our  rapture  to  enhance, 

Let  the  English  rake  the  bay. 
Gnash  their  teeth  and  glare  askance 

As  they  cannonade  away ! 
'Neath  rampired  Solidor  pleasant  riding  on  the  Eance  !  " 
How  hope  succeeds  despair  on  each  Captain's  countenance! 
Out  burst  all  with  one  accord, 
"  This  is  Paradise  for  Hell ! 
Let  France,  let  France's  King 
Thank  the  man  that  did  the  thing !  " 
What  a  shout,  and  all  one  word, 

"Herve  Kiel!" 
As  he  stepped  in  front  once  more^ 

Not  a  symptom  of  surprise 

In  the  frank  blue  Breton  eyes, 
Just  the  same  man  as  before. 

IX. 

Then  said  Damfreville,  "  My  friend, 
I  must  speak  out  at  the  end. 

Though  I  find  the  speaking  hard. 


NARRATION  201 

Praise  is  deeper  than  the  lips : 
You  have  saved  the  King  his  ships, 
You  must  name  your  own  reward. 
'Faith,  our  sun  was  near  eclipse ! 
Demand  whate'er  you  will, 
France  remains  your  debtor  still. 

Ask  to  heart's  content  and  have !  or  my  name 's  not  Dam- 
freviUe." 


Then  a  beam  of  fun  outbroke 
On  the  bearded  mouth  that  spoke. 
As  the  honest  heart  laughed  through 
Those  frank  eyes  of  Breton  blue : 
*'  Since  I  needs  must  say  my  say. 

Since  on  board  the  duty 's  done. 

And  from  Malo  Eoads  to  Croisic  Point,  what  is  it  but 
a  run  ?  — 
Since  't  is  ask  and  have,  I  may  — 

Since  the  others  go  ashore  — 
Come  !     A  good  whole  holiday ! 

Leave  to  go  and  see  my  wife,  whom  I  call  the  Belle 
Aurore !  " 

That  he  asked  and  that  he  got,  —  nothing  more. 

XI. 

Name  and  deed  alike  are  lost : 
Not  a  pillar  nor  a  post 

In  his  Croisic  keeps  alive  the  feat  as  it  befell ; 
Not  a  head  in  white  and  black 
On  a  single  fishing  smack, 
la  memory  of  the  man  but  for  whom  had  gone  to  wrack 

All  that  France  saved  from  the  fight  whence  England 
bore  the  bell. 


202  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Go  to  Paris  :  rank  on  rank 

Search  the  heroes  flung  pell-mell 
On  the  Louvre,  face  and  flank  ! 

You  shall  look  long  enough  ere  you  come  to  Herv^ 
Eiel. 
So,  for  better  and  for  worse, 
Herve  Riel,  accept  my  verse ! 
In  my  verse,  Herve  Riel,  do  thou  once  more 
Save  the  squadron,  honor  France,  love  thy  wife  the  Belle 
Aurore !  Browning. 

This  poem  is  founded  upon  fact.  Louis  XIV., 
king  of  France,  and  William  III.,  king  of  England, 
were  at  v^ar.  The  English  fleet  numbered  about 
ninety  vessels,  v^hile  the  French  could  barely  gather 
fifty.  Louis  had  become  so  confident  of  the  ability 
of  Frenchmen  to  whip  Englishmen  that  he  ordered 
Tourville,  the  French  admiral,  to  attack  the  Eng- 
lish fleet  whenever  there  was  a  chance.  The  battle 
was  fought  "  on  the  sea  and  at  the  Hogue,  sixteen 
hundred  ninety-two,"  and  the  French  fleet  was 
destroyed,  except  a  small  remnant  that  escaped  to 
St-  Malo.  Browning  tells  the  story  of  their  rescue 
by  Herve  Riel. 

It  is  well  to  know  the  geography  of  the  story. 
Cherbourg  is  on  the  long  peninsula  that  reaches 
out  into  the  English  channel.  The  Hogue  is  just 
around  the  point  to  the  northeast  of  this  city.  It 
was  here  that  the  battle  was  fought.  The  remnant 
that  escaped  fled  to  the  south  about  a  hundred 
miles  to  St.  Malo.     This  town  is  at  the  mouth  of 


NARRATION  203 

the  Ranee,  a  small  stream  flowing  north  from  near 
Rennes  to  the  English  Channel.  The  approach  to 
St.  Malo  is  made  dangerous  by  many  islands  and 
shoals.  "  Greve/'  in  French,  means  ^^a  shoal;'' 
and  Greve  is  a  beach  north  of  St.  Malo.  Solidor 
is  a  fort  on  the  Ranee  above  St.  Malo.  Directly 
south  of  St.  Malo,  across  the  next  peninsula,  is 
Croisic,  very  near  the  mouth  of  the  Loire.  The 
people  who  live  here  are  called  Croisickese ;  and 
those  who  live  at  St.  Malo  are  called  Malouins. 

"  Riel "  rhymes  with  "  well "  and  "  pell-mell." 

The  story  falls  into  three  parts,  and  a  last  stanza 
giving  the  teaching  of  the  whole.  What  stanzas 
make  the  first  part  ?  What  topic  sentence  would 
be  suitable  for  it  ?  What  stanzas  form  the  second 
section.  Frame  a  topic  sentence  for  it  ?  Make  a 
topic  sentence  for  the  last  division.  Define  scarred 
and  scored,  porpoises,  straight,  pressed,  sounding, 
offing,  profound  (noun),  rapture,  enhance,  askance, 
wrack. 

What  word  would  you  use  instead  of  '^  Like  " 
in  the  first  stanza  ?  In  the  fifth  stanza  is  "  was 
spoke."  Is  it  correct  ?  Define  "  disembogues." 
Would  the  word  be  used  in  prose  ?  What  is  meant 
by  the  phrase  "  bore  the  bell  "  ?  Why  does  Brown- 
ing say,  "  That  were  worse  than  fifty  Hogues  "  ? 

What  is  full  tide  ?  ebb  tide  ?  Where  is  Plym- 
outh Sound  ?  Do  you  think  it  "  but  a  run  "  from 
St.  Malo  to  Croisic  Point  ?     About  how  far  is  it  ? 

Every  harbor  into  which  large  ships  enter  has 


204  ELEMENTAKY  COMPOSITION 

special  pilots  to  guide  the  vessels  to  anchorage. 
Whenever  a  vessel  comes  into  sight,  the  pilots  put 
out  briskly  and  leap  aboard.  Knowing  the  harbor 
thoroughly,  they  are  able  to  make  the  anchorage 
safe  and  sound. 

The  Louvre  is  the  old  royal  palace  in  Paris. 
With  the  Tuileries,  which  joins  it,  this  great  build- 
ing covers  forty-eight  acres  of  ground.  Besides 
many  groups  of  sculpture,  there  are  eighty-six 
colossal  statues  of  the  heroes  of  France  along  the 
sides  and  ends  of  this  vast  palace.  It  is  this  that 
Browning  refers  to  when  he  says,  — 

Search  the  heroes  flung  pell-mell 
On  the  Louvre,  face  and  flank. 

Memorize  the  whole  poem. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

DESCRIPTION. 

Description  has  been  defined  as  that  form  of 
composition  which  tells  how  any  object  appears. 
The  object  may  be  described  as  it  appears  when  \ 
we  feel  it,  when  we  taste  it,  when  we  smell  it,  as     i 
well  as  when  we  hear  or  see  it.     Telling  how  an    f 
object  appears  to  any  of  the  senses  is  description. 

In  order  to  tell  how  an  object  appears,  it  is 
necessary  first  to  Tcnow  how  it  appears.  How  many 
know  the  number  of  windows  on  the  north  side  of 
their  house  ?  Has  a  fly  six  or  eight  legs  ?  Do  you 
know  what  is  on  the  outside  of  your  readers? 
Most  people  have  indistinct,  hazy  pictures  of  ob- 
jects in  their  minds.  They  do  not  know  exactly 
how  things  look.  In  narration,  the  first  require- 
ment of  a  story  teller  was  that  he  should  know  his 
story  from  beginning  to  end  before  he  began  to 
write.  A  thorough  knowledge  of  the  appearance 
of  an  object  is  necessary  before  any  person  is 
ready  to  begin  a  description. 

This  all  means  that  a  person  who  describes  must 
see,  —  not  in  a  general  way,  but  very  definitely 
and  accurately.  No  two  objects  are  exactly  alike. 
Persons  look  alike,  yet  not  exactly  alike.  Grains  of 
sand  look  alike  in  the  hand;  but  put  a  magnifying 


206  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

glass  over  them  and  each  one  changes  to  an  in- 
dividual, as  different  from  its  neighbor  as  a  boy  is 
from  his  twin  brother.  Every  tree,  every  flower, 
every  dog,  every  horse,  every  man  has  something 
about  him  that  makes  him  different  from  every 
other  object  of  the  same  class. 

To  say  that  a  rabbit  has  four  legs,  the  hind  ones 
very  long,  two  long  ears,  and  a  short  tail,  is  not 
describing  any  particular  rabbit,  for  all  rabbits  are 
such  animals ;  and  as  soon  as  any  one  hears  the 
word  "  rabbit,"  he  thinks  all  these  characteristics. 
Suppose,  however,  you  should  say  that  your  rabbit 
had  a  little  tuft  of  hair  on  his  right  shoulder  that 
remained  a  dark  gray  all  the  year  round,  and  that 
one  of  his  ears  had  been  nicked,  then  your  rabbit 
begins  to  be  different  from  other  rabbits ;  you  have 
begun  to  describe  him.  Such  qualities  as  belong 
to  the  object  you  are  describing  and  to  no  other 
of  the  same  class,  these  are  the  qualities  that  sep- 
arate the  object  from  all  the  thousands  of  others, 
and  make  it  a  real  individual  that  can  be  pictured 
in  the  mind  of  the  reader. 

See  what  is  about  you ;  look  at  each  object  closely ; 
notice  each  detail  carefully ;  observe  it  with  minut- 
est attention.  Sketching  in  the  drawing  class  and 
describing  in  the  composition  class  are  very  much 
alike.  They  differ  only  in  the  means  employed. 
One  uses  the  crayon  and  the  brush ;  the  other  uses 
words.  Both,  however,  require  the  most  careful 
observation. 


DESCRIPTION  207 

Composition  Exercise. 

Take  some  very  familiar  object  for  description. 
The  chair  in  which  you  study  at  home  is  a  good 
subject.  Why  do  you  prefer  this  chair  ?  Does  it 
fit  you  better  than  some  of  the  others  ?  Is  there 
anything  pecuUar  about  the  way  it  rocks?  Is 
the  varnish  worn  off  anywhere  ?  Are  there  any 
scratches  upon  it  ?  Look  at  it  as  you  never  have 
before,  and  be  able  to  make  us  all  see  it  as  if  in  a 
picture. 

Or,  describe  your  father's  every-day  coat,  or 
your  mother's  morning  dress.  Do  not  describe 
the  persons. 

POINT  OF  VIEW. 

The  success  of  description  depends  primarily 
upon  observation.  If  a  person  sees  well,  he  has 
the  basis  for  describing  well.  Often,  however,  one 
thinks  he  sees  what  he  does  not  see.  You  know 
that  your  brother  has  gray  eyes  and  that  he  has 
lost  a  tooth.  At  a  distance  you  could  not  see 
these  things.  So  if  you  were  describing  him  as  he 
stood  a  little  way  from  you,  you  should  not  men- 
tion these  things.  Suppose  you  were  telling  how 
your  neighbor's  lawn  looked  to  you  from  your 
window.  You  could  see  that  it  was  green,  that  it 
was  smooth,  and  that  it  was  velvety;  but  you 
could  not  say  that  it  had  in  it  some  coarse  grass, 
and  many  ants.  Your  imagination,  not  your  ob- 
servation, supplied  these  details.    You  should  put 


208  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

into  a  description  only  what  you  can  see.  This  is 
exactly  the  same  in  drawing.  The  objects  are 
arranged  to  make  a  picture,  and  the  pupils  are  to 
draw  just  what  they  see,  —  nothing  more.  In  de- 
scription, as  in  drawing,  the  rule  is :  look,  and  tell 
what  you  see. 

In  describing  a  man  at  some  distance,  you  might 
truthfully  say  that  you  could  not  tell  the  color 
of  his  necktie.  If  that  was  really  the  case,  you 
could  not  write  in  the  next  sentence  that  he  wore 
in  his  shirt  a  pearl  of  no  large  size.  For  if  he  was 
so  far  away  that  you  could  not  tell  the  color  of  his 
necktie,  you  certainly  could  not  see  a  pearl  shirt 
stud. 

There  must  be  no  change  in  the  point  of  view. 
Things  do  not  look  the  same  far  and  near.  If  you 
start  in  far  from  the  object,  stay  where  you  are 
and  finish  the  picture  from  that  point.  Suppose 
that  a  description  read  as  follows :  "  We  came  up 
one  of  the  narrow,  crooked  streets,  —  not  so  wide 
as  the  hall  in  our  home,  and  so  crooked  that  we 
could  not  see  ahead  of  us  any  distance,  —  and 
without  any  warning  we  came  out  into  the  great 
square  before  St.  Mark's.  There  at  the  other  end 
was  the  cathedral,  its  beautiful  domes  lifted  against 
the  blue  sky.  The  glorious  colors  we  had  heard 
people  tell  of  were  all  there  in  the  front,  —  the 
blues,  the  reds,  and  the  gold,  —  all  splendid  in  the 
bright  sunlight.  There,  too,  were  those  bronze 
horses,  their  necks  arched,  their  nostrils  stretched, 


DESCRIPTION  209 

their  eyes  gleaming,  and  their  close-cut  manes 
stiff  and  erect."  Now  the  last  part  of  such  a  de- 
scription is  impossible.  For  no  one  could  see  the 
length  of  the  square  to  tell  anything  about  the 
manes,  nostrils,  and  eyes  of  the  horses,  if  he  had, 
indeed,  seen  the  horses  at  all.  The  person  de- 
scribing has  changed  his  point  of  view;  he  has 
moved  nearer.  This  always  results  in  a  confused 
picture.  Never  change  your  point  of  view  during 
a  description. 

Composition  Exercise. 

Choose  any  object  and  write  two  descriptions  of 
it,  —  one  when  your  point  of  view  is  close,  and  the 
other  when  the  point  of  view  is  at  a  distance.  A 
good  object  is  an  old  house,  or  a  factory.  From  a 
distance  the  general  outline  of  either  may  be  very 
good,  and  the  building  may  appear  to  you  a 
worthy  piece  of  architecture.  Go  nearer,  and  what 
you  thought  was  a  fine  house,  or  an  attractive  art 
museum,  turns  out  to  be  an  old  house,  or  a  grimy 
foundry  with  broken  windows  and  without  paint. 
While  you  are  writing  each  description,  keep  your 
position  unchanged. 

Or,  you  were  out  hunting,  and  lost  your  way. 
It  was  late  ;  you  were  hungry.  You  came  in  sight 
of  a  farmhouse.  How  did  it  look  ?  You  hurried 
up  to  it  only  to  find  it  long  ago  left  vacant.  Now 
tell  how  it  looked. 


210  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

POINT    OF    VIEW. 

Small  objects  cannot  be  seen  from  a  distance ; 
neither  can  objects  be  seen  round  a  corner  or 
through  a  stone  wall.  Neglect  of  these  principles 
leads  to  many  impossibilities.  Notice  the  follow- 
ing :  "  Looking  out  of  the  window  of  my  study 
room,  I  can  see  across  the  street  an  old  brown 
house.  The  piazza  has  lost  its  foundation,  and 
slopes  dangerously  down  toward  the  street.  At 
the  back  of  the  house  the  condition  is  even  worse ; 
for  the  little  back  step  has  entirely  severed  its 
connection  with  the  house,  and  only  a  narrow 
board  leads  up  to  the  door."  Nobody  could  intro- 
duce the  back  step  into  a  drawing  of  the  front  side 
of  a  house  ;  and  no  one  should  introduce  it  into  a 
description  of  the  front  view  of  a  house. 

The  same  impossibilities  are  to  be  seen  in  the 
following :  '^  As  he  approached,  he  walked  very 
slowly  with  his  hands  locked  behind  him ;  and  I 
noticed  that  upon  one  finger  he  wore  a  large  seal 
ring."  In  the  following  there  is  the  same  mistake  : 
"  I  tried  my  best  to  catch  him,  but  in  spite  of  my 
hardest  pedaling  he  managed  to  keep  about  ten 
rods  ahead  of  me.  The  freckles  on  his  face  seemed 
to  grow  more  brilliant  from  sheer  joy  of  knowing 
that  I  could  get  no  nearer." 

Sometimes,  however,  it  is  necessary  to  describe 
all  the  parts  of  a  house.  A  photographer  would 
make  his  picture  by  taking  several  views  from  dif- 


DESCRIPTION  211 

ferent  places.  He  would  never  think  of  trying  to 
get  it  all  upon  one  plate.  So  in  describing  a  house 
it  is  necessary  to  make  several  different  pictures. 
These  must  be  made  from  different  points  of  view. 
There  must  be  no  change  in  the  point  of  view 
while  one  of  the  pictures  is  being  made.  When- 
ever the  point  of  view  is  changed  to  get  another 
view,  the  reader  must  be  notified.  Then  there 
will  be  no  confusion  and  no  impossibilities. 

.  Taking  the  first  description,  after  the  front  of 
the  house  had  been  told  about,  the  person  might 
say :  "  Now  going  round  to  the  back  of  the  house, . 
I  found  a  worse  condition  than  I  had  seen  before.'' 
The  point  of  view  has  been  changed,  and  the 
reader  knows  it.  There  will  be  no  confusion.  So 
in  the  second,  the  writer  might  say  :  "  When  he 
came  up  to  me,  he  reached  out  his  hand  to  greet 
me,  and  I  noticed  a  large  seal  ring  on  his  third 
finger."  Keep  the  following  in  mind  always  when 
writing  a  description :  If  it  is  necessary  to  change 
the  point  of  view,  the  reader  must  be  notified  at 
oTice  ;  if  the  object  described  changes  its  position^ 
the  reader  must  be  informed  of  this. 

Composition  JExercise. 

Describe  the  interior  of  your  home  as  it  would 
appear  to  a  person  you  were  showing  through  it. 
Every  time  you  move  from  one  room  to  another 
let  the  reader  know  it,  so  that  it  may  be  perfectly 
clear  where  you  are  standing  when  you  write  the 
different  parts  of  the  description. 


212  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Or,  describe  the  schoolhouse  in  the  same  way. 
Kemember  that  when  the  point  of  view  changes, 
there  must  be  a  word  to  let  the  reader  know  it. 
Then  there  will  be  no  impossibilities  in  your 
writing. 

Or,  describe  some  mill,  or  factory,  or  store  in  the 
same  way. 

FEELING, 

Sometiixies  the  sun  does  not  seem  to  shine  much  ; 
the  grass  is  gray,  not  green  ;  there  is  a  chill  in  the 
air ;  nothing  pleases.  Another  person  looking  out 
of  the  window  the  same  morning  sees  a  glorious 
sun  and  velvety  lawns ;  to  him  the  air  is  soft  and 
sweet;  all's  well  in  the  world.  These  different 
pictures  result  from  the  different  feelings  of  the 
two  persons.  Indeed,  the  same  person  may  see 
these  different  pictures  on  different  days.  Sup- 
pose that  a  friend  has  invited  you  to  a  party ;  you 
know  what  a  good  time  is  in  store  for  you.  You 
go  to  your  room ;  it  beams  back  the  joy  you  feel. 
It  is  really  the  dearest  room  you  know.  In  the 
evening  your  father  decides  that  you  ought  not  to 
go.  Again  you  find  your  way  to  the  little  room ; 
but  what  a  stuffy  little  room  it  is  !  If  you  had  de- 
scribed it  in  the  afternoon,  you  would  have  picked 
out  all  the  bright,  beautiful  things,  and  told  only 
of  these ;  but  in  the  evening  you  would  have  seen 
only  the  dull,  ugly  objects. 

The  feeling  you  have  when  looking  at  anything 
should  be  the  feeling  the  reader  has  when  he  reads 


DESCRIPTION  215 

your  description  of  the  same  thing.  Make  him  see 
it  so  plainly  that  he  will  feel  just  as  you  feel.  To 
do  this,  select  only  those  details  that  produce  the 
feeling  ;  omit  all  details  that  might  produce  any 
other  feeling. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  description  of  Scrooge 
as  we  first  see  him  that  does  not  suggest  a  mean, 
stingy,  hard-hearted  miser ;  and  there  is  nothing 
in  the  picture  of  the  Cratchit  home  that  does  not 
suggest  kindness  and  joy.  Every  detail  has  been 
thoughtfully  chosen  to  produce  the  feeling  in- 
tended. As  you  kept  the  point  of  view  and  told 
only  of  those  things  that  could  be  seen,  so  now 
keep  the  same  feeling  throughout  your  description, 
and  tell  only  of  those  things  that  will  produce  that 
feeling. 

Look  at  the  pictures  on  pages  213  and  227.  Note 
the  things  that  Mr.  Dicksee  has  introduced  into 
the  first :  the  dying  mother  crying  to  the  vast,  un- 
answering  sea ;  beside  her,  the  little  cub,  ignorant 
of  the  awful  future ;  on  the  crags,  the  vultures 
already  gathering  for  the  horrible  feast;  and 
round  all,  desolation.  Everything  in  the  picture 
contributes  to  the  feeling  of  the  awf ulness  of  death, 
especially  when  little  helpless  ones  are  left  behind. 

Now  look  at  the  next,  picture.  The  feeling  is 
entirely  different.  What  is  the  feeling  ?  Is  there 
anything  that  mars  the  unity  of  the  picture  ? 

Turn  back  to  the  picture  of  Bach's  family. 
What  is  the  feeling  of  this  picture  ?     And  then 


216  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

look  at  the  picture  of  "  Mozart's  Requiem/'  What 
is  the  feeling  produced  by  this  picture  ?  What  are 
the  different  things  that  produce  that  feeling  ?  In 
these  pictures  have  the  painters  kept  the  feeling 
throughout  ? 

Composition  Exercise. 

You  were  going  to  a  picnic.  Just  before  it  was 
time  to  start,  your  mother  learned  that  certain 
persons  were  going  whom  she  preferred  you  not 
to  be  with ;  she  decided  that  you  should  not  go. 
In  your  disappointment  you  went  to  your  room, 
for  you  did  not  wish  to  see  anybody.  Now  the 
room  was  a  real  loving  consolation  to  you.  De- 
scribe the  room.  Or,  perhaps  you  were  angry. 
How  did  the  room  look  then  ? 

Or,  suppose  that  your  mother  convinced  you 
that  she  was  entirely  right,  and  you  were  rather 
glad  than  otherwise  to  get  out  of  going.  Now 
describe  the  'bus  as  it  drove  up  for  you;  was  it 
a  comfortable  looking  carriage  ?  Or,  describe  the 
place  they  went  to,  —  not  a  very  good  place  for  a 
picnic,  after  all. 

Or,  imagine  some  of  the  neighbors'  boys  had 
been  at  your  house  all  the  afternoon  and  you  had 
been  playing  hide-and-seek  in  the  big  barn.  Dur- 
ing your  play  you  had  all  decided  to  go  fishing  the 
next  day  up  the  brook  that  was  two  miles  away. 
Unfortunately,  your  father  decided  that  to-morrow 
you  would  have  to  cut  up  potatoes  ready  for  plant- 


DESCRIPTION  217 

ing.  You  did  it  in  the  barn.  Describe  the  barn 
as  it  looked  to  you  in  the  afternoon  while  you  were 
playing ;  or  the  next  day  when  you  were  sitting 
ther^  cutting  up  potatoes. 

PEELING. 

Everything  that  is  worth  describing  is  the  cause 
of  some  feeling  in  us.  The  woods  make  some  people 
feel  lonely.  A  rainy  day  brings  a  feeling  of  sad- 
ness. Autumn  winds  are  dreary.  On  the  other 
hand,  June  with  its  bright  sunshine,  its  blossoming 
flowers,  and  the  singing  of  birds,  fills  us  with  hap- 
piness. In  describing  anything,  it  is  necessary  to 
look  at  it  so  long,  and  think  of  it  so  hard  that  you 
will  discover  what  it  is  that  makes  you  feel  as  you 
do.  Then  tell  just  these  things  as  they  seem  to 
you,  and  the  result  is  a  good  description. 

Put  mto  a  description  only  those  things  that  will 
produce  the  feeling  you  have  about  an  object;  leave 
out  everything  that  can  in  any  way  destroy  that 
impression. 

Below  is  a  description  of  a  bitter  storm.  It  is 
probable  that  there  was  a  good  fire  in  the  house 
that  night ;  but  there  is  no  mention  made  of  it, 
because  a  bright  fire  would  not  make  you  feel  chilly 
and  shivering.  The  author  has  told  us  what  made 
him  feel  cold,  and  that  is  what  has  made  the  feel- 
ing that  it  was  a  cold,  bitter  night.  He  has  left 
out  of  the  description  anything  that  could  destroy 
that  one  impression. 


218  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

A  storm  had  been  raging  from  the  northeast  all  day. 
Toward  evening  the  wind  strengthened  to  a  gale,  and  the 
fine,  icy  snow  swirled  and  drifted  over  the  frozen  fields. 

I  lay  a  long  time  listening  to  the  wild  symphony  of  the 
winds,  thankful  for  the  roof  over  my  head,  and  wonder- 
ing how  the  hungry,  homeless  creatures  out-of-doors  would 
pass  the  night.  Where  do  the  birds  sleep  such  nights  as 
this  ?  Where  in  this  bitter  cold,  this  darkness  and  storm, 
will  they  make  their  beds?  The  lark  that  broke  from 
the  snow  at  my  feet  as  I  crossed  the  pasture  this  after- 
noon— 

What  comes  o*  thee  ? 
Whare  wilt  thou  cow*r  thy  chittering  wing, 
An'  close  thy  e'e  ? 

The  storm  grew  fiercer ;  the  wind  roared  through  the 
big  pines  by  the  side  of  the  house  and  swept  hoarsely  on 
across  the  fields ;  the  pines  shivered  and  groaned,  and 
their  long  limbs  scraped  over  the  shingles  above  me  as  if 
feeling  with  frozen  fingers  for  a  way  in  ;  the  windows 
rattled,  the  cracks  and  corners  of  the  old  farmhouse 
shrieked,  and  a  long,  thin  line  of  snow  sifted  in  from  be- 
neath the  window  across  the  garret  floor.  I  fancied  these 
sounds  of  the  storm  were  the  voices  of  freezing  birds,  cry- 
ing to  be  taken  in  from  the  cold.  Once  I  thought  I 
heard  a  thud  against  the  window,  a  sound  heavier  than 
the  rattle  of  the  snow.  Something  seemed  to  be  beating 
at  the  glass.  It  might  be  a  bird.  I  got  out  of  bed  to 
look ;  but  there  was  only  the  ghostly  face  of  the  snow 
pressed  against  the  panes,  half-way  to  the  window's  top. 
I  imagined  that  I  heard  the  thud  again  ;  but,  while  listen- 
ing, fell  asleep  and  dreamed  that  my  window  was  frozen 
fast,  and  that  all  the  birds  in  the  world  were  knocking  at 
it,  trying  to  get  in  out  of  the  night  and  storm. 

Sharp,  from  Wild  Life  Near  Home, 


DESCRIPTION  219 

Below  IS  Lowell's  description  of  June,  from 
^'  The  Vision  of  Sir  Launf al."     Notice  that  — 

Everything  is  happy  now, 

Everything  is  upward  striving  ; 
'T  is  as  easy  now  for  the  heart  to  be  true 
As  for  grass  to  be  green  or  skies  to  be  blue,  — 

'T  is  the  natural  way  of  living. 

There  is  not  a  thing  in  this  beautiful  descrip- 
tion that  did  not  make  Lowell  happy ;  and  he  has 
told  us  his  feelings  in  such  a  way  that  we,  too,  are 
happy.     His  feeling  is  our  feeling. 

And  what  is  so  rare  as  a  day  in  June  ? 

Then,  if  ever,  come  perfect  days ; 
Then  heaven  tries  earth  if  it  be  in  tune. 

And  over  it  softly  her  warm  ear  lays ; 
Whether  we  look,  or  whether  we  listen, 
We  hear  life  murmur,  or  see  it  glisten  ; 
Every  clod  feels  a  stir  of  might. 

An  instinct  within  it  that  reaches  and  towers, 
And,  groping  blindly  above  it  for  light. 

Climbs  to  a  soul  in  grass  and  flowers ; 
The  flush  of  life  may  well  be  seen 

Thrilling  back  over  hills  and  valleys ; 
The  cowslip  startles  in  meadows  green. 

The  buttercup  catches  the  sun  in  its  chalice, 
And  there  's  never  a  leaf  nor  a  blade  too  mean 

To  be  some  happy  creature's  palace ; 
The  little  bird  sits  at  his  door  in  the  sun, 

Atilt  like  a  blossom  among  the  leaves, 
And  lets  his  illumined  being  o'errun 

With  the  deluge  of  summer  it  receives ; 
His  mate  feels  the  eggs  beneath  her  wings. 


220  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

And  the  heart  in  her  dumb  breast  flutters  and  sings ; 
He  sings  to  the  wide  world,  and  she  to  her  nest,  — 
In  the  nice  ear  of  Nature  which  song  is  the  best  ? 

Now  is  the  high-tide  of  the  year. 

And  whatever  of  life  hath  ebbed  away 
Comes  flooding  back  with  a  ripply  cheer, 

Into  every  bare  inlet  and  creek  and  bay ; 
Now  the  heart  is  so  full  that  a  drop  overfills  it, 
We  are  happy  now  because  God  wills  it ; 
No  matter  how  barren  the  past  may  have  been, 
'T  is  enough  for  us  now  that  the  leaves  are  green ; 
We  sit  in  the  warm  shade  and  feel  right  well 
How  the  sap  creeps  up  and  the  blossoms  swell ; 
We  may  shut  our  eyes,  but  we  cannot  help  knowing 
That  skies  are  clear  and  grass  is  growing ; 
The  breeze  comes  whispering  in  our  ear. 
That  dandelions  are  blossoming  near. 

That  maize  has  sprouted,  that  streams  are  flowing, 
That  the  river  is  bluer  than  the  sky. 
That  the  robin  is  plastering  his  house  hard  by ; 
And  if  the  breeze  kept  the  good  news  back, 
For  other  couriers  we  should  not  lack ; 

We  could  guess  it  all  by  yon  heifer's  lowing,  — 
And  hark !  how  clear  bold  chanticleer, 
Warmed  with  the  new  wine  of  the  year. 

Tells  all  in  his  lusty  crowing ! 

Composition  Exercise. 

After  years  of  absence,  go  back  to  the  house 
where  you  first  lived.  Was  your  life  full  of  hap- 
piness there  ?  Did  the  house  seem  large  to  you 
when  a  child  ?    Was  there  a  piazza  in  front  ?    Did 


DESCRIPTION  221 

it  often  invite  you  to  rest  ?  Have  you  had  good 
times  playing  on  it  ?  What  did  you  play  there  ? 
Think  of  the  various  things  that  made  the  old 
home  so  attractive  to  you.  There  are  strangers 
living  in  the  house,  so  that  you  will  have  to  ask 
permission  to  go  in,  or  else  stay  outside.  Eemem- 
ber  that  if  you  describe  different  parts  of  the 
house  you  will  have  a  changing  point  of  view, 
and  you  must  tell  where  you  go.  You  will  do  well 
to  begin  your  description  with  your  approach  to 
the  house,  and  your  feelings  as  you  come  nearer, 
and  then  the  first  view  of  the  house  after  an 
absence  of  several  years. 

Or,  possibly  you  prefer  not  to  go  back,  because 
the  house  as  you  remember  it  is  beautiful  and 
large,  and  you  fear  that  now  that  you  have  grown 
older  it  may  not  look  so  lovely  and  attractive. 
Describe  it  as  you  remember  it. 

All  boys  that  have  had  the  good  fortune  to 
be  born  and  raised  *n  the  country  or  in  a  small 
town  remember  the  place  where  they  used  to  go 
swimming.  Wri^e  about  it.  Was  there  green  grass 
on  the  bank  ?  \\  is  there  a  fine  old  tree  shading 
it  ?  Did  the  water  look  cool  and  inviting  ?  Was 
the  sand  good  to  roll  in  ?  Just  think  how  it  was 
and  how  good  it  seemed  to  you ;  then  try  to  make 
us  feel  what  you  used  to  feel  there. 

It  may  be  that  when  you  were  a  child  you  went 
with  your  father  or  mother  to  gather  flowers  in 
the  spring.     Was  it  on  a  bank  that  you  found  the 


222  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

violets  ?  Was  there  a  brook  running  near  ?  Were 
there  some  trees  at  the  bottom  of  the  hill  ?  Did 
you  find  any  other  flowers?  Be  careful  not  to 
write  a  narrative  composition ;  this  is  description 
—  make  it  a  picture  of  the  place  where  you  gath- 
ered flowers. 

OBSERVATION. 

Whenever  anything  is  to  be  described,  it  should 
be  observed  so  closely  that  one  characteristic  of  it 
becomes  the  most  prominent,  and  overshadows  all 
the  others.     When  Lowell  wrote 

Violet !  sweet  violet ! 
Thine  eyes  are  full  of  tears, 

the  thought  that  was  impressed  upon  him  was  that 
the  tender  little  flower  was  like  a  pure,  sweetly 
sad  child.  The  oak  seems  like  a  storm-defying 
giant ;  while  the  poplar  is  full  of  delicate  grace. 
Have  you  not  seen  a  gossiping  old  hen  that  is 
always  prying  into  her  neighbor's  secrets  ?  and  in 
the  same  flock  some  old  cowardly  braggart  of  a 
rooster  who  will  run  at  the  least  sign  of  danger  ? 
What  a  proud  old  colonel  a  turkey-gobbler  is !  So 
of  dogs  and  cats  there  is  always  some  character- 
istic that  overshadows  all  the  rest.  Seek  this  out, 
and  then  tell  what  it  is  that  makes  you  feel  that 
way  about  it.  In  the  case  of  animals  this  charac- 
teristic is  often  made  plainest  by  telling  what  the 
animal  does. 

So  in  describing  a  person,  find  out  first  what 


DESCRIPTION  223 

kind  of  a  person  you  have  for  the  subject  of  the 
description.  If  you  have  decided  that  he  is  gentle 
from  his  looks  and  from  his  actions^  tell  what  it  is 
in  his  looks  that  makes  you  feel  so ;  and  what  he 
does  that  leads  you  to  think  him  such  a  person. 
That  makes  a  good  description. 

This  brings  us  back  to  the  first  thing  that  was 
said  about  description ;  good  observation  is  the 
basis  of  good  description.  Look  at  the  flower,  the 
tree,  the  cat,  the  duck,  the  man,  until  that  object 
seems  to  you  to  be  different  from  any  other  of  the 
same  class.  Tell  what  it  is  that  makes  you  feel 
so,  and  the  description  is  good. 

The  first  description  below  is  by  Dr.  John 
Brown. 

Toby  was  the  most  utterly  shabby,  vulgar,  mean-look- 
ing cur  I  ever  beheld  :  in  one  word,  a  tyhe.  He  had  not 
one  good  feature,  except  his  teeth  and  eyes,  and  his  bark, 
if  that  can  be  called  a  feature.  He  was  not  ugly  enough 
to  be  interesting ;  his  color  black  and  white,  his  shape 
leggy  and  clumsy ;  altogether  what  Sydney  Smith  would 
have  called  an  extraordinarily  ordinary  dog ;  and,  as  I 
have  said,  not  even  greatly  ugly,  or,  as  the  Aberdonians 
have  it,  honnie  wi^  ill-fauredness. 

(The  last  phrase  means  pretty  with  ill-favored- 
ness,  that  is,  beautifully  ugly.  Do  you  mean  what 
the  English  mean  by  the  word  "  ugly  "  ?  Look  it 
up.     Their  use  of  this  word  is  better  than  ours.) 

There  are  a  number  of  good  descriptions  of 
animals  in   the   chapter   called   ^^Shy   Neighbor- 


224  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

hoods "  in  "  The  Uncommercial  Traveler/'  by- 
Dickens.  The  following  of  a  degraded,  disreputable 
donkey  is  one  of  the  best :  — 

I  have  known  a  donkey  —  by  sight ;  we  were  not  on 
speaking  terms  —  who  lived  over  on  the  Surrey  side  of 
London  Bridge,  among  the  fastnesses  of  Jacob's  Island 
and  Dockhead.  It  was  the  habit  of  that  animal,  when  his 
services  were  not  in  immediate  requisition,  to  go  out  alone, 
idling.  I  have  met  him  a  mile  from  his  place  of  residence, 
loitering  about  the  streets ;  and  the  expression  of  his  coun- 
tenance at  such  times  was  most  degraded.  He  was  attached 
to  the  establishment  of  an  elderly  lady  who  sold  peri- 
winkles ;  and  he  used  to  stand  on  Saturday  nights  with  a 
cartful  of  those  delicacies  outside  a  gin-shop,  pricking  up 
his  ears  when  a  customer  came  to  the  cart,  and  too  evi- 
dently deriving  satisfaction  from  the  knowledge  that  they 
got  bad  measure.  His  mistress  was  sometimes  overtaken 
by  inebriety.  The  last  time  I  ever  saw  him  (about  five 
years  ago)  he  was  in  circumstances  of  difficulty,  caused 
by  this  failing.  Having  been  left  alone  with  the  cart  of 
periwinkles,  and  forgotten,  he  went  off  idling.  He  prowled 
among  his  usual  low  haunts  for  some  time,  gratifying  his 
depraved  tastes,  until,  not  taking  the  cart  into  his  calcula- 
tions, he  endeavored  to  turn  up  a  narrow  alley,  and  became 
greatly  involved.  He  was  taken  into  custody  by  the 
police,  and,  the  Green  Yard  of  the  district  being  near  at 
hand,  was  backed  into  that  place  of  durance.  At  that 
crisis  I  encountered  him  ;  the  stubborn  sense  he  evinced 
of  being  —  not  to  compromise  the  expression  —  a  black- 
guard, I  never  saw  exceeded  in  the  human  subject.  A 
flaring  candle  in  a  paper  shade,  stuck  in  among  his  peri- 
winkles, showed  him  with  his  ragged  harness  broken  and 
his  cart  extensively  shattered,  twitching  his  mouth   and 


DESCRIPTION  225 

shaking  his  hanging  head,  a  picture  of  disgrace  and  obdu- 
racy. I  have  seen  boys  being  taken  to  station-houses, 
who  were  as  like  him  as  his  own  brother. 

Most  of  US  do  not  like  lizards ;  but  after  reading 
the  chapter  called  "  The  Pine-Tree  Swift "  in  ^^  Wild 
Life  Near  Home/'  I  am  sure  all  would  change  their 
opinions  about  these  fascinating  little  creatures. 
Here  is  a  bit  out  of  the  chapter :  — 

Upon  the  end  of  a  rail,  so  close  to  a  cluster  of  the 
butterfly-weed  blossoms  that  he  can  pick  the  honey  gath- 
erers from  it,  —  as  you  would  pick  olives  from  a  dish  on 
the  table,  —  lies  a  big  male  swift  without  a  tail.  He  lost 
that  member  in  an  encounter  with  me  several  weeks  ago. 
A  new  one  has  started,  but  it  is  a  mere  bud  yet.  I  know 
his  sex  by  the  brilliant  blue  stripe  down  each  side,  which 
is  a  favor  not  granted  to  the  females.  The  sun  is  high 
and  hot.  "  Fearfully  hot,"  I  say  under  my  wide  straw 
hat.  "  Delightfully  warm,"  says  the  lizard,  sprawling 
over  the  rail,  his  legs  hanging,  eyes  half  shut,  every  possi- 
ble scale  exposed  to  the  blistering  rays,  and  his  bud  of  a 
tail  twitching  with  the  small  spasms  of  exquisite  comfort 
that  shoot  to  the  very  ends  of  his  being. 

The  little  Caliban  !  How  he  loves  the  sun  !  It  cannot 
shine  too  hot  nor  too  long  for  him.  He  stiffens  and  has 
aches  when  it  is  cold,  so  he  is  a  late  riser,  and  appears 
not  at  all  on  dark,  drizzly  days.  Sharp. 

Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  description  of  some  animal.  Cats,  dogs, 
and  horses  will  form  the  most  of  the  subjects.  If 
you  take  one  of  these,  find  one  that  you  like  or 
dislike ;  do  not  take  one  that  you  have  no  feeling 


226  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

about.  You  cannot  do  so  well  with  an  animal  that 
you  do  not  love  or  hate.  A  neighbor's  dog  digs 
up  your  flower  beds,  he  barks  at  night,  possibly  he 
has  frightened  you ;  but  your  own  dog  would  not 
do  such  a  thing.  A  good  subject  would  be  "  My 
Neighbor's  Dog." 

For  cats  good  subjects  are  ^^  Mischief/'  ^'A 
Tramp/'  or  "A  Happy  Family." 

"  His  Impudence  "  is  a  good  title  for  a  descrip- 
tion of  a  sparrow  ;  "  Old  Brag"  names  some  hens ; 
"  Trot-easy  "  describes  some  lazy  horses. 

The  pictures  on  pages  213  and  227  will  make 
good  subjects  for  this  week's  composition. 

NUMBEIl   OF  DETAILS. 

When  the  central  thought  of  a  picture  has  been 
grasped,  when  the  character  of  the  person  has  been 
seized,  when  the  feeling  to  be  expressed  is  known, 
then  but  few  details  should  be  selected  to  bring 
out  the  picture  or  the  description.  Many  details 
are  confusing.  The  mind  cannot  remember  them. 
Scott  used  to  make  descriptions  that  covered  pages; 
but  though  the  details  were  all  true,  the  great  num- 
ber served  only  to  make  the  picture  indistinct  and 
confused.  On  pages  194, 195  there  is  a  description 
of  a  little  boy  that  interested  Emmy  Lou.  There 
are  in  it  but  thirty-seven  words;  yet  the  little 
rascal  is  right  before  us  when  we  read  those  words. 
So  if  you  take  the  trouble  to  look  through  your 
books  at  home  for  a  long  description  of  a  house  or 


CURIOSITY 


DESCRIPTION  229 

a  landscape,  you  will  find  few  or  none.  The  author 
picks  out  one  or  two  details  that  are  strikingly 
different  from  others  and  these  he  enforces.  When 
we  read  these  few  sentences,  we  supply  the  rest 
of  the  picture.  Get  hold  of  the  details  that  make 
the  picture  individual ;  make  the  reader  see  these  ; 
never  mind  the  things  that  everybody  knows 
about. 

In  describing  a  person  be  sure  that  you  know 
first  what  kind  of  a  man  you  wish  to  make  him 
appear  to  the  reader ;  then  pick  out  just  such 
details  as  will  bring  out  this  character;  and  last, 
do  not  have  too  many  details.  Make  the  descrip- 
tion short;  and  make  every  word  go  straight  to 
the  mark. 

Below  is  a  description  of  George  Gisze,  written 
by  a  Frenchman.  Can  you  see  the  man  ?  If  not, 
the  description  is  not  good. 

Holbein  has  represented  George  Gisze  in  his  mercantile 
office,  at  a  table,  holding  a  letter  which  he  is  about  to  open, 
and  surrounded  by  small  objects,  articles  for  which  he 
has  use  in  his  business  and  in  his  every  day  Hfe.  This 
man  appears  before  us  in  a  marvelous  pose,  among  these 
material  surroundings  and  in  this  professional  scene.  Ob- 
serve his  calm  attitude  and  his  almost  placid  physiog- 
nomy ;  we  notice,  however,  the  firm  and  decided  air  of  a 
wealthy  and  elegant  merchant.  And,  at  the  same  time, 
we  are  sure  that  the  type  represented  here  is  not  of  sud- 
den growth  ;  everything  about  him  reveals  intelligence. 

George  Gisze  is  young  ;  the  painter  has  told  us  his 
name  and  his  age  in  an  inscription  on  the  wall ;    he  is 


230  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

thirty-four.  We  do  not  lack  information  about  him.  We 
like  him  under  that  air  of  youthful  seriousness  ;  we  see 
upon  his  face  that  dawning  gravity  in  which  the  blossom 
of  feeling  already  exists,  but  its  plenitude  and  maturity 
are  still  to  come.  And  in  attentively  examining  our  per- 
sonage we  are  struck  with  his  reflective  and  searching 
glance.  We  seem  to  have  a  glimpse  in  him  of  an  unde- 
fined melancholy.  This  expression  surprises  us  in  this 
man,  who  ought  to  be  happy  at  living  and  who  lacks  no 
pleasures  that  Fortune  can  procure. 

This  is  a  state  of  mind  which  is  indicated  to  us,  more- 
over, by  a  motto  traced  above  his  name  on  one  of  the  walls 
of  his  office :  "  No  pleasure  without  its  sorrow."  Why 
this  thought  ?  Is  it  purely  emblematic,  or  does  it  con- 
tain an  allusion  to  some  private  matter  ?  We  are  led  to 
believe  that  it  is  intended  as  a  complementary  explanation, 
that  it  was  placed  upon  the  picture  because  it  was  in  sym- 
pathy with  a  train  of  ideas  special  to  the  model.  Perhaps 
it  recalls  a  domestic  sorrow,  the  lively  grief  left  by  an 
absent  one,  or  by  some  eternal  separation.  A  moral  mys- 
tery which  seems  to  us  very  attractive  hovers  around 
George  Gisze. 

He  has  long  fair  hair  confined  beneath  a  black  cap; 
his  smooth-shaven  face  is  rather  thin.  He  wears  a  rich 
costume,  a  pourpoint  of  cerise  silk  with  pufPed  sleeves, 
and,  over  this  pourpoint,  a  cloak  of  black  wool  lined  with 
fur.  The  table  on  which  he  is  leaning  is  covered  with  a 
Persian  rug,  and,  besides  the  various  objects  scattered 
upon  it,  you  notice  a  bunch  of  carnations  in  an  artistically 
wrought  Venetian  glass.  These  carnations,  like  the  motto, 
awake  in  us  an  image,  a  poetical  reminiscence.  Senti- 
ment, Germanic  in  its  essence,  mingled  with  dreams  and 
vague  ideals,  is  introduced  into  this  merchant's  office. 

Valabreque. 


DESCRIPTION  231 

The  following  sentence  is  by  Mr.  Motley.  Is  it 
a  good  picture  of  Thackeray  ?  Is  it  better  than 
the  long  description  of  Gisze  ? 

I  believe  you  have  never  seen  Thackeray.  He  has  the 
appearance  of  a  colossal  infant,  smooth,  white,  shiny, 
ringlety  hair,  flaxen,  alas  !  with  advancing  years,  a  round- 
ish face,  with  a  little  dab  of  a  nose  upon  which  it  is  a  per- 
petual wonder  how  he  keeps  his  spectacles,  a  sweet  but 
rather  piping  voice,  with  something  of  a  childish  treble 
about  it,  and  a  very  tall,  slightly  stooping  figure  —  such 
are  the  characteristics  of  the  great  Snob  of  England. 

From  Letters  of  John  Lothrqp  Motley, 

The  next  is  by  Thackeray.  What  do  you  think 
this  boy  was  reading  ? 

Several  times  in  the  course  of  our  sober  walks  we 
overtook  a  lazy,  slouching  boy,  or  hobbledehoy,  with  a 
rusty  coat,  and  trousers  not  too  long,  and  big  feet  trailing 
lazily  one  after  the  other,  and  large  lazy  hands  dawdling 
from  out  the  tight  sleeves,  and  in  the  lazy  hands  a  little 
book,  which  my  lad  held  up  to  his  face,  and  which  I  dare 
say  so  charmed  and  ravished  him,  that  he  was  blind  to 
the  beautiful  sights  around  him  ;  unmindful,  I  would  ven- 
ture to  lay  any  wager,  of  the  lessons  he  had  to  learn  for 
to-morrow ;  forgetful  of  mother  waiting  supper,  and  father 
preparing  a  scolding ;  —  absorbed  utterly  and  entirely  in 
his  book.  From  Boundabout  Papers. 

Composition  Exercise. 

Pick  out  the  man  that  is  most  striking  of  all 
you  know.  The  pop-corn  man  is  a  good  one  to 
describe.  He  generally  has  some  striking  charac- 
teristics. 


232  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Then  there  is  the  man  in  every  small  town  that 
goes  to  see  the  trains  pull  in  at  the  station.  He  is 
a  good  one  to  describe. 

Or  go  on  with  this :  "  He  was  the  meanest  little 
scamp  that  lived  in  our  neighborhood ;  and  he 
looked  just  as  mean  as  he  was." 

Or  finish  this :  "  I  found  it  in  the  attic.  It  was 
old  —  fifty  years  old.  The  crown  was  high  and 
bell-shaped,  —  much  like  the  hat  that  Uncle  Sam 
always  wears.  And  I  fell  to  fancying  my  old 
grandfather  who  wore  this  high  hat  fifty  years 
ago.     He  appeared  to  me " 

ARRANGEMENT   OF   DETAILS. 

In  addition  to  the  care  that  must  be  given  to 
the  choice  of  the  details  that  go  to  make  up  a 
good  description,  care  must  also  be  given  to  the 
arrangement  of  the  details.  They  must  be  in 
order ;  and  the  order  in  which  they  must  be  is  the 
order  in  which  they  are  seen.  A  man  in  his  right 
mind  does  not  jerk  his  head  about  looking  at  an 
object.  He  passes  from  one  point  of  it  to  the  next, 
slowly  and  naturally.  If  he  is  observing  a  house, 
he  does  not  notice  first  the  ornament  in  the  gable 
and  next  that  the  foundation  is  of  brick.  Gener- 
ally a  man  sees  the  house  from  foundation  to 
ridge ;  though,  if  it  be  very  high,  he  may  notice 
the  height,  and  then  make  his  description  from 
the  top  to  the  bottom.  In  either  case  he  should 
have  order  in  the  description,  giving  the  differ- 


DESCRIPTION  233 

ent  details  in  the  order  in  which  they  will  be 
seen. 

The  first  is  a  description  of  the  Cathedral  of 
Strasburg  by  Victor  Hugo.  Notice  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  parts. 

Yesterday  I  visited  the  Cathedral.  The  minster  is 
truly  a  marvel.  The  doors  of  the  church  are  beautiful, 
particularly  the  Roman  porch ;  the  f  a9ade  contains  some 
superb  figures  on  horseback ;  the  rose-window  is  beauti- 
fully cut ;  and  the  entire  face  of  the  Cathedral  is  a  poem, 
wisely  composed.  But  the  real  triumph  of  the  Cathedral 
is  the  spire.  It  is  a  true  tiara  of  stone  with  its  crown  and 
its  cross.  It  is  a  prodigy  of  grandeur  and  delicacy.  I 
have  seen  Chartres,  and  I  have  seen  Antwerp,  but  Stras- 
burg pleases  me  best. 

The  next  is  from  ^^  Bleak  House."  by  Dickens. 
It  begins  at  the  top  and  approaches  the  ground. 

As  to  the  house  itself,  with  its  three  peaks  in  the  roof ; 
its  various  shaped  windows,  some  so  large,  some  so  small, 
and  all  so  pretty ;  its  trellis-work,  against  the  south  front, 
for  roses  and  honeysuckle ;  and  its  homely,  comfortable, 
welcoming  look ;  it  was,  as  Ada  said,  when  she  came  out 
to  me  with  her  arm  through  that  of  its  master,  worthy  of 
her  cousin  John  —  a  bold  thing  to  say,  though  he  only 
pinched  her  dear  cheek  for  it. 

It  is  exactly  the  same  in  describing  a  landscape. 
From  whatever  point  you  begin,  from  that  point 
you  must  take  up  the  different  details  in  order. 
Sometimes  you  will  sweep  the  picture  from  right 
to  left,  sometimes  from  left  to  right ;  and  again 


234  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

you  will  begin  in  the  middle  and  go  to  right  and 
to  left.  It  is  more  common,  however,  in  descrip- 
tions of  landscape  to  begin  with  the  near  and 
advance  to  the  far,  or  from  far  to  near.  In  any 
case  there  must  not  be  a  jumping  back  and  forth, 
but  an  order  in  the  arrangement  of  the  details. 

In  this  description  of  the  harbor  of  Yokohama 
by  John  La  Farge,  notice  how  he  begins  with  dis- 
tant objects  and  comes  nearer  and  nearer  until 
the  "  fine  wrists  and  delicate  hands,"  and  even 
the  very  square  toes  of  the  boatmen  can  be  seen. 

The  slackened  beat  of  the  engine  made  a  great  noise 
in  the  quiet  waters.  Distant  high  hills  of  foggy  green 
marked  the  new  land  ;  nearer  us,  junks  of  the  shapes  you 
know,  in  violet  transparency  of  shadow,  and  five  or  six  war- 
ships and  steamers,  red  and  black,  or  white,  looking  bar- 
barous and  out  of  place,  but  still  as  if  they  were  a  part  of 
us ;  and  spread  all  around  us  a  fleet  of  small  boats,  manned 
by  rowers  standing  in  robes  flapping  about  them,  or  tucked 
in  above  their  waists.  There  were  so  many  that  the  crowd 
looked  blue  and  white  —  the  color  of  their  dresses  repeat- 
ing the  sky  in  prose.  Still,  the  larger  part  were  mostly 
naked,  and  their  legs  and  arms  and  backs  made  a  great 
novelty  to  our  eyes,  accustomed  to  nothing  but  our  ship, 
and  the  enormous  space,  empty  of  life,  which  had  sur- 
rounded us  for  days.  The  muscles  of  the  boatmen  stood 
out  sharply  on  their  small  frames.  They  had  almost  all 
—  at  least  those  who  were  young  —  fine  wrists  and  deli- 
cate hands,  and  a  handsome  setting  of  the  neck.  The  foot 
looked  broad,  with  toes  very  square.  They  were  excitedly 
waiting  to  help  in  the  coaling  and  unloading,  and  soon  we 
saw  them  begin  to  work,  carrying  great  loads  with  much 
good-humored  chattering. 


DESCRIPTION  235 

The  same  rule  holds  when  persons  are  being 
described.  If  the  person  does  not  move,  you  give 
the  details  from  head  to  foot,  or  in  the  opposite 
way.  If  the  person  and  you  are  approaching  each 
other,  the  details  should  be  given  in  the  order  in 
which  they  appear.  The  description  of  the  lazy 
boy  by  Thackeray  is  a  good  example  of  the  last. 
As  the  men  approached  him,  they  saw  first  his 
pose,  and  it  was  lazy ;  then  his  coat  and  trousers ; 
then  big,  lazy  feet;  then  lazy  hands;  and  last, 
since  they  were  behind  him,  the  little  book  he  was 
reading. 

The  following  short  description  has  in  it  only 
the  face ;  but  notice  that  there  is  order  in  it. 

The  neighbor  on  his  right  was  not  encouraging  either. 
It  was  the  Italian  tenor,  a  lively  fellow,  with  a  low  fore- 
head, oily  eyes,  and  brigandish  mustache,  which  he  angrily 
twirled  now  that  he  was  separated  from  his  pretty  neigh- 
bor. 

The  next  is  a  description  of  the  dress  of  the 
^'  blue-coat  boys,"  who  attend  Christ's  Hospital 
School  in  London.  This  is  from  '^  The  Prince  and 
the  Pauper."     Its  order  is  from  top  to  toe. 

He  was  soon  in  the  midst  of  a  crowd  of  boys  who 
were  running,  jumping,  playing  at  ball  and  leap-frog,  and 
otherwise  disporting  themselves,  and  right  noisily,  too. 
They  were  all  dressed  alike,  and  in  the  fashion  which  in 
that  day  prevailed  among  serving-men  and  prentices  — 
that  is  to  say,  each  had  on  the  crown  of  his  head  a  flat  black 
cap  about  the  size  of  a  saucer,  which  was  not  useful  as  a 
covering,  it  being  of  such  scanty  dimensions,  neither  was  it 


236  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

ornamental;  from  beneath  it  the  hair  fell,  unparted,  to 
the  middle  of  the  forehead,  and  was  cropped  straight 
around ;  a  clerical  band  at  the  neck ;  a  blue  gown  that 
fitted  closely  and  hung  as  low  as  the  knees  or  lower ;  full 
sleeves,  a  broad  red  belt ;  bright  yellow  stockings,  gar- 
tered above  the  knees  ;  low  shoes  with  large  metal  buckles. 
It  was  a  sufficiently  ugly  costume.  Mark  Twain. 

The  following  is  by  James  Whitcomb  Riley  in 
his  story  called  "  Tod  "  :  — 

Tod's  features  wore  a  pr.oud,  exultant  smile,  though 
somewhat  glamoured  by  a  net-work  of  spiteful-looking 
scratches  ;  and  his  eyes  were  more  than  usually  bright, 
although  their  lids  were  blue,  and  swollen  to  a  size  that 
half  concealed  them.  His  head,  held  jauntily  erect,  sug- 
gested nothing  but  boyish  spirit ;  but  his  hair,  tousled 
beyond  all  reason,  with  little  wisps  of  it  glued  together 
with  clots  of  blood ;  his  best  clothes  soiled  and  torn  ;  a 
bruised  and  naked  knee  showing  through  a  straight  rent 
across  one  leg  of  his  trousers,  conveyed  the  idea  of  a  recent 
passage  through  some  gauntlet  of  disastrous  fortune. 

Order,  then,  is  necessary  in  a  description.  No 
one  would  think  of  sketching  a  figure  or  landscape 
by  jumping  about  over  his  paper.  He  would  not 
make  a  hand,  then  a  nose,  then  a  shoe,  then 
hair;  but  he  would  begin  at  some  point  and  each 
detail  would  be  put  in  as  he  came  to  it.  In  that 
way  the  picture  grows  under  his  brush.  In  exactly 
the  same  way  the  picture  grows  under  the  pen. 
From  whatever  point  the  sketch  begins,  it  should 
advance  from  that  point  in  order. 


DESCRIPTION  237 

Composition  Exercise. 

Describe  something  as  you  came  to  it  on  a  coun- 
try road.  At  a  distance  you  could  not  tell  what 
it  was.  But,  as  you  approached  gradually,  it  took 
form,  and  you  saw  that  it  was  a . 

Or,  describe  the  catcher  of  your  base-ball  team. 
Can  you  see  his  face  well  ?  Don't  forget  your 
point  of  view. 

Or,  some  opening  in  the  w^oods  you  love ;  or  a 
little  valley  made  by  a  cool,  murmuring  brook. 

MEMORIZE. 

I  profess,  sir,  in  my  career  hitherto,  to  have  kept  stead- 
ily in  view  the  prosperity  and  honor  of  the  whole  country, 
and  the  preservation  of  our  Federal  Union.  It  is  to  that 
Union  we  owe  our  safety  at  home  and  our  consideration 
and  dignity  abroad.  It  is  to  that  Union  that  we  are  chiefly 
indebted  for  whatever  makes  us  most  proud  of  our  country. 
That  Union  we  reached  only  by  the  discipline  of  our  virtues 
in  the  severe  school  of  adversity.  It  had  its  origin  in  the 
necessities  of  disordered  finance,  prostrate  commerce,  and 
ruined  credit.  Under  its  benign  influences  these  great 
interests  immediately  awoke  as  from  the  dead,  and  sprang 
forth  with  newness  of  life.  Every  year  of  its  duration  has 
teemed  with  fresh  proofs  of  its  utihty  and  its  blessings  ; 
and  although  our  territory  has  stretched  out  wider  and 
wider,  and  our  population  spread  farther  and  farther,  they 
have  not  outrun  its  protection  or  its  benefits.  It  has  been 
to  us  all  a  copious  fountain  of  national,  social,  and  per- 
sonal happiness. 

I  have  not  allowed  myself,  sir,  to  look  beyond  the  Union, 
to  see  what  might  lie  hidden  in  the  dark  recess  behind.    I 


238  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

have  not  coolly  weighed  the  chances  of  preserving  liberty 
when  the  bonds  that  unite  us  together  shall  be  broken 
asunder.  I  have  not  accustomed  myself  to  hang  over  the 
precipice  of  disunion,  to  see  whether,  with  my  short  sight, 
I  can  fathom  the  depth  of  the  abyss  below ;  nor  could  I 
regard  him  as  a  safe  counselor  in  the  aiBfairs  of  this  govern- 
ment whose  thoughts  should  be  mainly  bent  on  considering, 
not  how  the  Union  may  be  best  preserved,  but  how  toler- 
able might  be  the  condition  of  the  people  when  it  shall  be 
broken  up  and  destroyed. 

While  the  Union  lasts,  we  have  high,  exciting,  gratify- 
ing prospects  spread  out  before  us  for  us  and  our  children. 
Beyond  that  I  seek  not  to  penetrate  the  veil.  God  grant 
that  in  my  day,  at  least,  that  curtain  may  not  rise !  God 
grant  that  on  my  vision  never  may  be  opened  what  lies 
behind !  When  my  eyes  shall  be  turned  to  behold  for  the 
last  time  the  sun  in  heaven,  may  I  not  see  him  shining  on 
the  broken  and  dishonored  fragments  of  a  once  glorious 
Union  ;  on  States  dissevered,  discordant,  belligerent ;  on 
a  land  rent  with  civil  feuds,  or  drenched,  it  may  be,  in 
fraternal  blood  !  Let  their  last  feeble  and  lingering  glance 
rather  behold  the  gorgeous  ensign  of  the  republic,  now 
known  and  honored  throughout  the  earth,  still  full  high 
advanced,  its  arms  and  trophies  streaming  in  their  original 
lustre,  not  a  stripe  erased  or  polluted  nor  a  single  star 
obscured,  bearing  for  its  motto  no  such  miserable  inter- 
rogatory as  "  What  is  all  this  worth  ? "  nor  those  other 
words  of  delusion  and  folly,  ''Liberty  first  and  Union 
afterwards  ;  "  but  everywhere,  spread  all  over  in  characters 
of  living  light,  blazing  on  all  its  ample  folds,  as  they  float 
over  the  sea  and  over  the  land,  and  in  every  wind  under 
the  whole  heavens,  that  other  sentiment,  dear  to  every 
true  American  heart,  —  Liberty  and  Union,  now  and  for- 
ever, one  and  inseparable ! 

From  the  Speech  of  Mr.  Webster  in  Reply  to  Mr,  Hayne. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

EXPOSITION. 

Exposition  is  that  form  of  composition  the  pur- 
pose of  which  is  to  explain  something.  In  the 
work  of  the  schoolroom  it  is  by  far  the  most  com- 
mon kind  of  composition.  A  pupil  explains  a 
problem  ;  he  explains  the  way  dew  is  formed ;  he 
explains  the  "  spoils  system."  This  is  all  exposi- 
tion. An  instructor  asks  "  Why  ?  "  or,  "  How  do 
you  make  that  out?"  Or  possibly  she  says,  "That 
is  correct ;  but  make  it  a  little  plainer  to  the  class." 
The  answer  to  every  such  question  and  the  reply 
to  any  such  request  is  exposition. 

A  definition  is  an  explanation  of  the  meaning  of 
a  term.  In  answer  to  the  question,  "  What  is  a 
fraction  ?  "  a  pupil  says,  "A  fraction  is  one  or  more 
of  the  equal  parts  of  a  unit."  The  reply  is  an 
explanation  of  the  term,  and  it  is  exposition. 
Every  definition  is  an  example  of  exposition. 

What  kind  of  things  do  persons  explain  ?  Before 
answering  this  question  it  will  be  wise  to  note  two 
things  that  they  do  not  explain.  First,  they  do 
not  explain  "A  Dog."  "A  Dog"  is  a  subject  for 
description.  And  they  do  not  explain  "  Water 
Babies"  or  "Peasant  and  Prince."   These  are  sub- 


240  ELEMENTARY   COlflPOSITION 

jects  for  stories.  They  do  explain  "  The  Intelli- 
gence of  Animals/'  or  the  meaning  of  the  word 
"  fraction."  In  narration  and  description  the  ma- 
terial used  is  concrete  ;  it  is  things  or  animals  doing 
something,  or  things  arranged  for  a  picture.  But 
in  exposition,  the  material  is  abstract ;  it  is  ideas ; 
it  is  thoughts ;  it  is  statements.  Abstract  ideas  are 
the  subjects  of  exposition ;  and  abstract  ideas  and 
thoughts  men  explain. 

Exercise. 

Below  are  given  the  titles  of  a  number  of  se- 
lections from  an  old  reading  book.  Tell  which 
are  subjects  of  narration,  of  description,  of  exposi- 
tion. 

1.  The  Sky.  8.  Don  Quixote  and  Sancho 

2.  A  Dream  of  Summer.  Panza. 

3.  Grace    Preferable    to        9.  Trial  of  Baxter. 

Beauty.  10.  The  Coral  Insect. 

4.  The  Proud  Miss  Mac-       11.  The  Widow  and  Her  Son. 

bride.  12.  Life     Intended     to     be 

5.  Imagination.  Happy. 

6.  Why  does  the  Hair  turn  13.  The  Mocking  Bird. 

White  ?  14.  Gesler  and  WiUiam  TeU. 

7.  Henry  Wadsworth  Long-  15.  Queen  Mary's  Landing. 

fellow.  16.  Men  of  One  Idea. 

OUTLINES. 

The  words, "  exposition  "  and  "  explanation/'  both 
mean  a  placing  out,  or  a  spreading  out  flat.  When 
an  idea  is  to  be  explained  it  must  be  spread  out. 


EXPOSITION  241 

SO  that  all  the  parts  can  be  clearly  seen.  For  in- 
stance^ in  explaining  base-ball  to  a  stranger  to  the 
game,  it  would  be  necessary  to  lay  out  the  whole 
subject  before  him.  It  would  not  be  sufficient  in 
reply  to  his  question,  ^^  What  is  base-ball?"  to 
say,  "  Base-ball  is  a  game  played  with  a  bat  and 
ball  by  eighteen  men."  With  this  explanation 
the  stranger  would  not  understand  the  game.  He 
must  be  told  all  about  it ;  the  whole  game  must 
be  laid  out  before  him ;  the  details  must  be  given ; 
that  is,  it  must  be  explained. 

A  piece  of  exposition  may  be  compared  to  a 
map.  At  its  bottom  is  its  name,  —  North  America. 
A  child  would  know  nothing  of  this  great  western 
world  if  the  map  remained  rolled  up.  It  must  be 
unrolled,  spread  out,  so  that  he  can  see  all  the 
parts  and  their  relation  to  one  another,  before  he 
knows  anything  of  North  America.  And  when- 
ever any  one  writes  a  piece  of  exposition  he  is 
unrolling  a  map  of  the  subject. 

An  idea  has  been  explained  when  all  its  details 
have  been  laid  out  so  that  each  can  be  clearly 
seen  in  relation  to  its  fellows.  Tyndall,  in  the 
selection  that  follows,  took  for  his  theme,  the  real 
cause  of  rivers  is  the  heat  of  the  sun.  To  many 
young  people  that  sentence  is  not  clear.  Tyndall 
knew  it  would  not  be  understood,  so  he  explained 
it  in  detail.  He  follows  the  rivers  back  through 
streams,  brooks,  threads  of  water,  springs,  rains, 
to  clouds;  and  then  he  shows  that  clouds  are  the 


242  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

result  of  the  heat  of  the  sun.  This  idea  has  been 
explained  by  giving  all  the  details  that  make  up 
the  thought.     This  is  exposition. 

When  a  person  begins  to  gather  the  details  to- 
gether ready  for  writing  on  any  subject,  he  soon 
finds  that  they  fall  into  groups  of  more  closely 
related  thoughts.  For  example,  in  explanation  of 
base-ball  a  certain  number  of  details  would  be 
about  the  way  the  ground  is  laid  out.  Certain 
other  details  would  be  concerned  with  the  instru- 
ments used  in  playing  the  game ;  while  yet  others 
would  be  needed  to  tell  what  the  duties  of  the 
players  are.  If  the  headings  under  which  these 
details  come  are  arranged  in  some  order,  this 
arrangement  is  called  an  outline. 

To  go  back  to  our  geographies,  there  are  cer- 
tain facts  which  should  be  learned  about  North 
America.  But  a  pupil  in  studying  them  would  not 
take  them  up  hap-hazard,  —  San  Francisco,  coal, 
Cape  Hatteras,  manufactures, — but  he  would  take 
up  one  complete  group  of  geographical  facts,  and 
then  another.  Probably  he  would  study  the  sur- 
face, the  soil,  the  products,  the  industries,  the 
people,  and  the  cities.  All  the  details  would  be 
grouped  under  these  headings.  Such  a  grouping 
would  make  an  outline  for  the  study  of  North 
America.  In  a  similar  way  grouping  the  facts 
you  wish  to  present  under  certain  headings  is 
making  an  outline  for  any  piece  of  exposition. 

Each  detail  should  be  placed  under  its  proper 


EXPOSITION  243 

heading ;  and  the  headings  themselves  should  be 
arranged  in  a  logical  order.  Each  part  should  be 
so  placed  that  it  shall  come  naturally  after  the 
preceding  part,  and  lead  easily  to  the  succeeding 
part.  Arrange  an  outline  so  that  the  explanation 
shall  not  jump  back  and  forth  over  the  subject, 
but  shall  progress  steadily  toward  its  conclusion. 

The  following  is  one  method  of  outlining  an 
essay  upon  Base-Ball :  — 

1.  The  Grounds. 

2.  The  Instruments  with  which  it  is  played. 

3.  The  Game,  —  What  is  it  ?     An  Innings. 

4.  The  Players. 

a.  At  Bat. 

b.  In  the  Field. 

1.  The  Infield. 

2.  The  Outfield. 

Below  is  a  very  simple  outline  of  the  essay  upon 
"  The  Origin  of  Rivers."  Notice  how  each  divi- 
sion comes  from  the  preceding  one,  and  leads 
directly  into  the  one  following.  If  you  change  them 
about,  you  will  immediately  feel  the  loss  in  the 
clearness  of  the  explanation. 

1.  The  source  of  a  river  is  numerous  mere  threads  of 
water. 

2.  The  source  of  these  threads  of  water  is  rain  and 
springs.     But  the  source  of  springs  is  rain. 

3.  The  source  of  rain  is  clouds. 

4.  Clouds  are  vapor  of  water.  This  may  be  learned  by 
studying  steam. 

6.  The  heat  of  the  sun  forms  this  vapor,  as  the  heat  of 


244  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

a  fire  causes  steam.     Therefore  the  real  cause  of  rivers 
is  the  heat  of  the  sun. 

Composition  Exercise, 

Make  an  outline  of  any  of  the  following  sub- 
jects :  — 

Football  is  a  game  played  with  an  inflated  ball  by 
twenty-two  men  upon  a  large  open  field. 

Checkers  is  a  game  played  by  two  persons  with  twenty- 
four  small  pieces  of  wood  moved  upon  a  board  of  certain 
design. 

There  are  several  things  to  know  if  one  is  to  make 
good  bread. 

The  climate  of  a  country  depends  upon  a  number  of 
conditions. 

The  selection  of  a  President  of  the  United  States  is  a 
long  process. 

There  were  many  causes  of  the  War  of  the  Eevolution. 

THE  ORIGIN  OF  RIVERS. 

Let  us  trace  a  river  to  its  source.  Beginning  where  it 
empties  itself  into  the  sea,  and  following  it  backwards,  we 
find  it  from  time  to  time  joined  by  tributaries  which  swell 
its  waters.  The  river  of  course  becomes  smaller  as  these 
tributaries  are  passed.  It  shrinks  first  to  a  brook,  then  to 
a  stream  ;  this  again  divides  itself  into  a  number  of  smaller 
streamlets,  ending  in  mere  threads  of  water.  These  con- 
stitute the  source  of  the  river,  and  are  usually  found 
among  hills. 

Thus,  the  Severn  has  its  source  in  the  Welsh  moun- 
tains ;  the  Thames  in  the  Cotswold  Hills ;  the  Missouri  in 
the  Rocky  Mountains ;  and  the  Amazon  in  the  Andes  of 
Peru. 


EXPOSITION  245 

But  it  is  quite  plain  that  we  have  not  yet  reached  the 
real  beginning  of  the  rivers.  Whence  do  the  earliest 
streams  derive  their  water  ?  A  brief  residence  among  the 
mountains  would  prove  to  you  that  they  are  fed  by  rains. 
In  dry  weather  you  would  find  the  streams  feeble,  some- 
times, indeed,  quite  dried  up.  In  wet  weather  you  would 
see  them  foaming  torrents.  In  general  these  streams  lose 
themselves  as  little  threads  of  water  upon  the  hillsides ; 
but  sometimes  you  may  trace  a  river  to  a  definite  spring. 
But  you  very  soon  assure  yourself  that  such  springs  are 
also  fed  by  rain,  which  has  percolated  through  the  rocks 
or  soil,  and  which,  through  some  orifice  that  it  has  found 
or  formed,  comes  to  the  light  of  day. 

But  we  cannot  end  here.  Whence  comes  the  rain  that 
forms  the  mountain  streams  ?  Observation  enables  you 
to  answer  the  question.  Rain  does  not  come  from  a  clear 
sky.     It  comes  from  clouds. 

But  what  are  clouds  ?  Is  there  nothing  you  are  ac- 
quainted with  which  they  resemble  ?  You  discover  at  once 
a  likeness  between  them  and  the  condensed  steam  of  a 
locomotive.  At  every  puff  of  the  engine  a  cloud  is  pro- 
jected into  the  air. 

Watch  the  cloud  sharply.  You  notice  that  it  first  forms 
at  a  little  distance  from  the  top  of  the  funnel.  Give  close 
attention  and  you  will  sometimes  see  a  perfectly  clear 
space  between  the  funnel  and  the  cloud.  Through  that 
clear  space  the  thing  which  makes  the  cloud  must  pass. 
What,  then  is  this  thing  which  at  one  moment  is  trans- 
parent and  invisible,  and  at  the  next  moment  visible  as  a 
dense  opaque  cloud  ? 

It  is  the  steam  or  vapor  of  water  from  the  boiler.  Within 
the  boiler  this  steam  is  transparent  and  invisible  ;  but  to 
keep  it  in  this  invisible  state  a  heat  would  be  required  as 
great  as  that  within  the  boiler.     When  the  vapor  mingles 


246  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

with  the  cold  air  above  the  hot  funnel,  it  ceases  to  be 
vapor.  Every  bit  of  steam  shrinks,  when  chilled,  to  a 
much  more  minute  particle  of  water.  The  liquid  particles 
thus  produced  form  a  kind  of  water  dust  of  exceeding 
fineness,  which  floats  in  the  air,  and  is  called  a  cloud. 

Watch  the  cloud  banner  from  the  funnel  of  a  running 
locomotive :  you  see  it  growing  gradually  less  dense.  It 
finally  melts  away  altogether,  and,  if  you  continue  your 
observations,  you  will  not  fail  to  notice  that  the  speed  of 
its  disappearance  depends  on  the  character  of  the  day.  In 
moist  weather  the  cloud  hangs  long  and  lazily  in  the  air ; 
in  dry  weather  it  is  rapidly  licked  up.  What  has  become 
of  it  ?  It  has  been  reconverted  into  true  invisible  vapor. 
The  drier  the  air,  and  the  hotter  the  air,  the  greater  is  the 
amount  of  cloud  which  can  be  thus  dissolved  in  it. 

Make  the  lid  of  a  kettle  air-tight,  and  permit  the  steam 
to  issue  from  the  spout ;  a  cloud  is  formed  in  all  respects 
similar  to  that  which  issues  from  the  funnel  of  the  loco- 
motive. To  produce  the  cloud,  in  the  case  of  the  locomo- 
tive and  the  kettle,  heat  is  necessary.  By  heating  the 
water  we  first  convert  it  into  steam,  and  then  by  chill- 
ing the  steam  we  convert  it  into  cloud.  Is  there  any  fire 
in  nature  which  produces  the  clouds  of  our  atmosphere  ? 
There  is  —  the  fire  of  the  sun. 

By  tracing  the  course  of  a  river  we  find  that  both  its 
beginning  and  its  ending  are  in  the  sea.  All  its  water  is 
derived  from  the  sea,  and  to  the  sea  it  returns  its  floods. 
But  if  we  seek  for  its  causes,  we  find  that  its  beginning 
and  its  ending  are  in  the  sun.  For  it  is  the  fire  of  the 
sun  that  produces  the  clouds  from  which  the  water  of  the 
river  is  derived,  and  it  is  the  same  fire  of  the  sun  that 
dries  up  the  stream. 

Adapted  from  Forms  of  Water  in  Clouds  and  Rivers  by  John  TyndalIi. 
From  Baldwin'' s  Readers.  Sixth  Year.  Taken  by  permission  of  the  pub- 
lishers, The  American  Book  Co. 


EXPOSITION  247 

DEFINITION   AND   KEPETITION. 

All  our  knowledge  is  gained  in  two  ways :  di- 
rectly by  one's  own  experience ;  and  indirectly 
from  the  experience  of  others.  Other  persons' 
knowledge  must  be  communicated  to  us  by  lan- 
guage. In  order  that  we  may  understand  such 
ideas  they  must  be  given  to  us  in  terms  that  we 
understand ;  that  is^  the  words  themselves  must  be 
understood. 

When  the  sentence,  "  This  coat  with  my  discre- 
tion will  be  brave,"  was  given,  not  all  understood  it ; 
but  as  soon  as  the  words,  "  discretion  "  and  "  brave," 
were  defined,  the  meaning  of  the  whole  sentence 
was  clear.  All  that  was  necessary  to  explain  the 
saying  was  a  knowledge  of  the  words  themselves. 
A  sufficient  explanation  of  such  terms  as  "  noun," 
"  peninsula,"  "  partial  payments,"  is  their  defini- 
tion.    Definition  is  a  concise  form  of  exposition. 

Often  the  words  used  in  announcing  the  theme 
upon  which  a  paragraph  is  written  do  not  need 
definition ;  they  are  all  easy.  Still  the  idea  of  the 
whole  sentence  may  not  be  perfectly  clear  as  it  is 
stated.  It  would  be  clearer  if  repeated  in  some 
other  way.  This  method  is  exposition  by  means  of 
repetition. 

For  example,  the  first  sentence  of  the  following 
paragraph  contains  none  but  simple  words  ;  yet  the 
thought  of  the  whole  is  much  clearer  when  the 
other  sentences  are  read  with  it.    Notice  that  each 


248  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

sentence  gives  the  thought  a  little  different  turn ; 
it  is  more  than  a  mere  repetition  of  the  first  sen- 
tence. It  adds  something  to  the  thought,  makes  it 
deeper,  broader,  more  definite,  or  more  general. 
Note,  too,  that  it  is  not  necessary  to  repeat  the 
whole  of  the  theme  in  each  sentence  of  repetition. 
The  second  sentence  does  not  repeat  the  whole  of 
the  first.  In  the  same  way  the  fourth  and  fifth 
sentences  repeat  but  a  part  of  the  idea  of  the  first^ 
while  the  sixth  repeats  the  complete  thought. 

The  love  of  dirt  is  among  the  earliest  of  passions,  as  it 
is  the  latest.  Mud-pies  gratify  one  of  our  first  and  best 
instincts.  So  long  as  we  are  dirty,  we  are  pure.  Fond- 
ness for  the  ground  comes  back  to  a  man  after  he  has  run 
the  round  of  pleasure  and  business,  eaten  dirt,  and  sown 
wild-oats,  drifted  about  the  world,  and  taken  the  wind  of 
all  its  moods.  The  love  of  digging  in  the  ground  (or  of 
looking  on  while  he  pays  another  to  dig)  is  as  sure  to  come 
back  to  him  as  he  is  sure,  at  last,  to  go  under  the  ground, 
and  stay  there.  To  own  a  bit  of  ground,  to  scratch  it  with 
a  hoe,  to  plant  seeds,  and  watch  their  renewal  of  life,  — 
this  is  the  commonest  delight  of  the  race,  the  most  satis- 
factory thing  a  man  can  do. 

Wabner,  from  My  Summer  in  a  Garden. 

Definition  and  repetition  correspond  very  closely 
to  the  use  of  synonyms  in  sentences.  In  a  defi- 
nition there  is  a  group  of  words  that  means  the 
same  as  the  term  defined ;  and  frequently  all  the 
explanation  necessary  is  a  synonym.  In  repetition 
other  words  saying  the  same  thing  are  substituted. 
Notice  the  number  of  synonyms  in  the  paragraph: 


EXPOSITION  249 

love  of  dirt,  fondness  for  the  ground,  the  love  of 
digging  in  the  ground,  and  so  forth  ;  and  the  earli- 
est of  passions,  as  well  as  the  latest,  first  and  best 
instincts,  commonest  delight  of  man,  the  most  sat- 
isfactory thing  a  man  can  do.  What  synonyms  are 
in  the  construction  of  sentences,  repetition  and 
definition  are  in  the  forming  of  a  paragraph  of 
exposition. 

What  is  the  topic  sentence  of  the  next  paragraph  ? 
In  what  sentences  is  an  English  city  defined? 
Where  is  there  a  definition  of  an  American  city? 
Does  the  paragraph  explain  the  difference  between 
an  English  and  an  American  city  ?  What  method, 
has  been  used  in  the  exposition  of  the  topic  sen- 
tence ? 

A  city  in  the  United  States  is  quite  a  different  thing 
from  a  city  in  the  technical  sense,  as  the  word  is  used  in 
England.  In  England  a  city  is  usually  taken  to  be  a 
place  which  is  or  has  been  the  seat  of  a  bishop.  The  head 
of  a  city  government  in  England  is  a  mayor,  but  many 
boroughs  which  are  not  cities  are  also  governed  by  a  mayor. 
In  the  United  States  a  city  is  a  place  which  has  received 
a  charter  as  a  city  from  the  legislature  of  its  state.  In 
America  there  is  nothing  whatever  corresponding  to  the 
English  borough.  Whenever  in  the  United  States  one 
enters  a  place  presided  over  by  a  mayor,  he  may  generally 
understand  that  he  is  in  a  city. 

Bryce,  from  The  American  Commonwealth, 


260  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

i 

Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  paragraph  explaining  this  saying:  A 
fool  wanders,  a  wise  man  travels. 

What  is  meant  by  the  word  ''  wanders  "  ?  "  trav- 
els "  ?  When  you  have  defined  these  words  you 
are  ready  to  make  the  proverb  clearer  by  a  few 
sentences  of  repetition. 

OBVEKSE   KEPETITION. 

In  the  study  of  sentences  another  way  of  saying 
a  thing  was  to  deny  the  opposite.  When  this  was 
united  with  an  affirmative  statement  of  the  same 
thing,  there  was  the  method  of  contrast.  In  para- 
graphs, as  in  sentences,  this  method  is  frequently 
employed  in  explaining  anything.  It  is  in  reality 
only  another  way  of  repeating  a  thing ;  and  may 
justly  be  called  obverse  repetition. 

No  one  would  think  of  writing  a  whole  para- 
graph having  in  it  nothing  but  sentences  denying 
the  opposite.  One  or  two  such  sentences  are  as 
many  as  are  usually  found  in  a  paragraph.  Neither 
would  a  person  leave  a  paragraph  with  a  sentence 
denying  the  opposite  at  its  end.  The  close  of  an 
explanation  should  never  be  what  it  does  not 
mean;  but  it  should  always  state  what  it  does 
mean. 

In  the  following  paragraph  about  "  Anon  "  the 
topic  sentences  are  "  Anon  is  one  of  our  greatest 
authors.     And  yet  of  this  great  man  so  little  is 


EXPOSITION  251 

known  that  we  are  not  even  acquainted  with  his 
Christian  name."  The  second  sentence  repeats 
the  thought  of  the  first ;  and  the  fourth  repeats 
the  third  by  denying  the  opposite.  The  fifth  re- 
peats the  whole  topic;  and  the  sixth  makes  a 
witty  comment  on  it 

Anon  is  one  of  our  greatest  authors.  If  all  the  things 
which  are  signed  with  Anon's  name  were  collected  on 
rows  of  shelves,  he  would  require  a  British  Museum  all  to 
himself.  And  yet  of  this  great  man  so  little  is  known 
that  we  are  not  even  acquainted  with  his  Christian  name. 
There  is  no  certificate  of  baptism,  no  mouldy  tombstone, 
no  musty  washing-bill  in  the  world  on  which  we  can  hook 
the  smallest  line  of  speculation,  whether  it  was  John,  or 
James,  or  Joshua,  or  Tom,  or  Dick,  or  Billy  Anon.  Shame 
that  a  man  should  write  so  much,  and  yet  be  known  so 
little.    Oblivion  uses  its  snuffers  sometimes  very  unjustly. 

Anon. 

In  the  next  paragraph  the  author  tells  what 
Avarice  does  not  do  with  gold,  and  closes  with 
what  it  does  do  with  gold. 

Avarice  seeks  for  gold,  not  to  build  or  buy  therewith  ; 
not  to  clothe  or  feed  itself ;  not  to  make  it  an  instrument 
of  wisdom,  of  skill,  of  friendship,  or  of  religion.  Avarice 
seeks  to  heap  it  up ;  to  walk  around  the  pile,  and  gloat 
upon  it ;  to  fondle  and  court,  to  kiss  and  hug  to  the  end 
of  life,  with  the  homage  of  idolatry. 

On  page  237  there  is  an  extract  from  Webster's 
"  Reply  to  Hayne."  In  the  first  paragraph  he  says 
that  he  has  "  kept  steadily  in  view  the  preser- 
vation of  our  Federal  Union."     This  thought  he 


252  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

repeats  all  through  the  paragraph.  In  the  second 
paragraph  he  says  the  same  thing  by  telling  what 
he  has  not  done :  he  has  not  allowed  himself  to 
consider  a  divided  country ;  "  to  hang  over  the 
precipice  of  disunion."  Then  in  the  third  para- 
graph he  comes  back  to  the  opening  sentiment,  — 
the  prosperity  and  honor  of  the  whole  country 
while  the  Union  lasts. 

The  chapter  in  the  Bible  from  which  the  follow- 
ing paragraph  is  taken,  tells  us  that  men  know  the 
place  of  gold,  silver,  iron,  and  precious  stones  ;  but 
the  place  of  wisdom  they  have  not  found  by  search- 
ing through  the  earth.  Neither  can  wisdom  be 
purchased  for  gold  or  jewels.  The  source  of  true 
wisdom  is  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

But  where  shall  wisdom  be  found?  and  where  is  the 
place  of  understanding?  Man  knoweth  not  the  place 
thereof;  neither  is  it  found  in  the  land  of  the  living. 
The  depth  saith,  It  is  not  in  me ;  and  the  sea  saith,  It  is 
not  with  me.  It  cannot  be  gotten  for  gold,  neither  shall 
silver  be  weighed  for  the  price  thereof.  It  cannot  be 
valued  with  the  gold  of  Ophir,  with  the  precious  onyx,  or 
the  sapphire.  The  gold  and  the  crystal  cannot  equal  it : 
and  the  exchange  of  it  shall  not  be  for  jewels  of  fine  gold. 
No  mention  shall  be  made  of  coral,  or  of  pearls :  for  the 
price  of  wisdom  is  above  rubies.  The  topaz  of  Ethiopia 
shall  not  equal  it,  neither  shall  it  be  valued  with  pure 
gold.  Whence  then  cometh  wisdom?  and  where  is  the 
place  of  understanding?  Behold,  the  fear  of  the  Lord, 
that  is  wisdom ;  and  to  depart  from  evil  is  understanding. 


EXPOSITION  253 

Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  paragraph  upon  the  sentence :  A  parti- 
ciple is  a  verbal.  Explain  what  a  verbal  is  by 
definition.  Then  show  that  a  verbal  is  not  a  verb 
by  denying  that  it  has  some  of  the  characteristics 
of  a  verb  ;  for  example,  person  and  number,  a  sub- 
ject that  limits  its  form,  and  other  differences  that 
you  are  familiar  with.  Conclude  with  your  com- 
plete definition  of  a  participle. 

Or,  write  a  paragraph  upon  the  study  of  com- 
position, introducing  the  fact  that  composition  is 
not  grammar. 

Or,  tell  what  a  marine  is,  by  contrasting  him 
with  a  sailor  and  a  soldier. 

Or,  explain  what  you  mean  by  good  reading, 
contrasting  it  with  so-called  elocution. 

EXAMPLES. 

All  new  knowledge  has  to  be  put  into  the  terms 
of  old  knowledge  in  order  that  it  may  be  under- 
stood. Already  we  have  seen  that  repetition  and 
obverse  repetition  are  nothing  more  than  saying  a 
thing  in  other  words  which  are  better  understood. 
The  new  knowledge  has  been  put  into  the  terms 
of  old  knowledge.  Again,  in  telling  a  boy  from 
the  South  that  a  snowball  was  the  shape  and  about 
the  size  of  an  orange,  the  new  idea  has  been  put 
into  the  terms  of  an  idea  that  he  is  familiar  with. 
And  this  is  the  object  of  the  use  of  all  comparisons. 


254  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

To  a  child  who  had  not  seen  a  mountain,  it 
could  be  explained  by  saying  that  it  was  a  hill  lifted 
up,  up,  until  it  reached  a  height  of  thousands  of 
feet ;  that  its  base  was  covered  with  soil  and  vege- 
tation which  gradually  disappeared  towards  its 
summit ;  and  that  in  high  mountains  the  top  was 
bare  rocks  towering  against  the  sky.  Hill,  soil, 
vegetation,  rocks,  are  all  familiar  ideas,  and  with 
these  a  new  idea  is  obtained,  —  that  of  a  mountain. 
So  a  balloon  might  be  likened  to  an  enormous  soap 
bubble  big  enough  and  strong  enough  to  carry 
persons.  Tyndall  pointed  out  the  likeness  of  a 
cloud  to  the  steam  that  issues  from  the  spout  of  a 
tea-kettle.  There  is  no  easier  way  of  explaining 
a  thing  than  to  liken  it  to  something  that  the  per- 
son to  whom  it  is  explained  is  familiar  with. 

All  members  of  a  class  of  objects  are  alike  in 
many  respects ;  for  example,  all  cows  have  a  num- 
ber of  characteristics  in  common.  They  are  large, 
horned,  four-legged,  cleft-hoofed,  cud-chewing  ani- 
mals. So  if  a  person  wished  to  explain  any  trait 
of  cows  he  would  be  safe  in  taking  one  cow  for  an 
example,  and  assuming  that  in  general  the  one  is 
like  the  other  thousands  of  cows.  To  explain  any- 
thing in  this  way  is  called  exposition  by  example. 

On  page  40  is  a  good  example  of  this  method 
of  exposition.  Burroughs  wrote,  "All  the  domestic 
animals  love  the  apple,  but  none  so  much  as  the 
cow."  This  is  repeated  in  two  or  three  sentences; 
then  he  says  that  he  once  heard  of  a  quick-witted 


EXPOSITION  255 

cow  who  found  a  way  to  get  them.  The  example 
enforces  the  statement  made  at  the  beginning. 

So  on  page  24  there  is  a  good  paragraph  illus- 
trating exposition  by  example.  In  it  Fiske  gives 
a  large  number  of  examples  to  show  that  '^  the 
w^ell-being  of  Virginia  society  was  protected  by 
sundry  statutes." 

In  the  following  paragraph  Warner  shows  by 
examples  that  we  "  respect  some  vegetables,  and 
despise  others  "  :  — 

This  matter  of  vegetable  rank  has  not  been  at  all  studied 
as  it  should  be.  Why  do  we  respect  some  vegetables,  and 
despise  others,  when  all  of  them  come  to  an  equal  honor 
or  ignominy  on  the  table  ?  The  bean  is  a  graceful,  con- 
fiding, engaging  vine ;  but  you  never  can  put  beans  into 
poetry,  nor  into  the  highest  sort  of  prose.  There  is  no 
dignity  in  the  bean.  Corn,  which,  in  my  garden,  grows 
alongside  the  bean,  and,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  with  no  affec- 
tation of  superiority,  is,  however,  the  child  of  song.  It 
waves  in  all  literature.  But  mix  it  with  beans,  and  its 
high  tone  is  gone.  Succotash  is  vulgar.  It  is  the  bean 
in  it.  The  bean  is  a  vulgar  vegetable,  without  culture,  or 
any  flavor  of  high  society  among  vegetables.  Then  there 
is  the  cool  cucumber,  like  so  many  people,  —  good  for 
nothing  when  it  is  ripe  and  the  wildness  has  gone  out  of 
it.  How  inferior  in  quality  it  is  to  the  melon,  which 
grows  upon  a  similar  vine,  is  of  like  watery  consistency, 
but  is  not  half  so  valuable !  The  cucumber  is  a  sort  of 
low  comedian  in  a  company  where  the  melon  is  a  minor 
gentleman.  I  might  also  contrast  the  celery  with  the 
potato.  The  associations  are  as  opposite  as  the  dining- 
room  of  the  duchess  and  the  cabin  of  the  peasant.     I 


266  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

admire  the  potato,  both  in  vine  and  blossom ;   but  it  is 

not  aristocratic.  Warner,  from  My  Summer  in  a  Garden. 

In  the  next  paragraph  the  topic  sentence  is 
explained  by  the  examples  that  follow. 

All  vegetable  farm  products  were  derived  from  wild 
plants.  They  have  been  greatly  improved  in  size  and 
nutritive  quality  by  cultivation.  Some  of  them,  as  maize, 
the  potato,  tobacco,  and  the  tomato  and  pumpkin,  were 
not  known  in  Europe  till  introduced  there  from  America. 
The  cereals  are  a  few  grasses  whose  seeds,  improved  and 
enlarged  by  tillage,  are  used  as  bread-stuffs.  They  are 
the  vegetable  food  of  most  importance,  and  hence  are  the 
largest  product  of  the  world's  farming  lands. 

Adams,  from  A  Commercial  Geography, 

All  through  this  book  the  different  subjects  have 
been  explained  by  examples.  It  is  one  of  the  best 
ways,  and  it  is  the  method  most  frequently  em- 
ployed. 

Composition  Exercise. 

Write  a  paragraph  upon  one  of  the  following 
topic  sentences,  explaining  what  it  means,  by  using 
examples  :  — 

Timidity  is  the  cause  of  great  unhappiness. 

Grown-up  people  think  the  plays  of  children 
very  foolish. 

Children  see  many  things  in  the  lives  of  their 
elders  that  are  laughable. 

All  animals  of  the  cat  family  prowl  aboj.it  for 
food  at  night. 

Or,  define  a  fraction,  and  explain  your  defini- 
tion by  an  example. 


EXPOSITION  257 

Or,  explain  what  a  delta  is,  by  using  for  an 
example  the  sand-bar  formed  during  a  rain  where 
a  little  stream  has  run  into  a  pond. 

ANALOGIES. 

The  use  of  comparisons  is  a  valuable  way  of 
expressing  thought.  Two  things  compared  may 
be  essentially  alike,  and  the  unfamiliar  one  be 
explained  by  the  familiar ;  as,  the  unfamiliar  delta 
is  made  clear  by  the  familiar  little  sand-bar.  Or 
the  comparison  may  be  between  a  class  and  one 
member  of  the  class  chosen  out  as  an  example  ;  as, 
a  cat  is  an  example  of  a  large  family  of  animals. 

Then,  too,  comparisons  may  be  made  between 
ideas  that  are  essentially  unlike,  but  which  have  a 
singular  striking  likeness.  Such  a  comparison  is 
usually  a  metaphor  or  a  simile.  When  a  compar- 
ison is  made  of  the  relations  existing  between  ideas, 
we  have  an  analogy.  For  example,  it  would  be 
an  easy  way  to  explain  the  circulation  of  the  blood 
in  an  animal  if  a  comparison  should  be  made  with 
a  water  and  sewer  system  in  a  city.  The  relation 
between  a  water  and  sewer  system  and  the  city  is 
the  same  as  the  relation  between  the  circulatory 
system  and  the  body.  This  is  a  comparison  of  the 
relations  between  two  sets  of  ideas.  It  is,  there- 
fore, an  analogy. 

Possibly  this  will  be  clearer  for  an  illustration 
from  arithmetic.  The  relation  between  2  and  4 
is  the  same  as  the  relation  between  3  and  6.    This 


2^  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

is  a  comparison  between  the  relations  of  two  sets 
of  quantities.  It  is  called  a  proportion ;  and  it  is 
written  thus  :  2  :  4  : :  3  :  6.  So,  the  analogy  might 
be  read  as  a  proportion :  A  sewer  and  water  sys- 
tem :  city  : :  a  circulatory  system  :  body. 

In  the  next  paragraph  Charles  Dudley  Warner 
says  that  the  relation  between  bunch  grass  and  his 
garden  is  the  same  as  the  relation  between  sin  and 
man.  The  garden  and  the  man  are  the  soil ;  bunch 
grass  and  sin  are  the  weeds.  Both  are  hard  to  root 
out.  Expressed  as  a  proportion  it  would  read, 
Bunch  grass  :  garden  : :  sin  :  man.  It  is  a  compar- 
ison of  relations.     It  is  analogy. 

I  believe  that  I  have  found,  if  not  original  sin,  at  least 
vegetable  total  depravity  in  my  garden ;  and  it  was  there 
before  I  went  into  it.  It  is  the  bunch,  or  joint,  or  snake 
grass,  —  whatever  it  is  called.  As  I  do  not  know  the 
names  of  all  the  weeds  and  plants,  I  have  to  do  as  Adam 
did  in  his  garden,  —  name  things  as  I  find  them.  This 
grass  has  a  slender,  beautiful  stalk :  and  when  you  cut  it 
down,  or  pull  up  a  long  root  of  it,  you  fancy  it  is  got  rid 
of ;  but  in  a  day  or  two  it  will  come  up  in  the  same  spot 
in  half  a  dozen  vigorous  blades.  Cutting  down  and  pulling 
up  is  what  it  thrives  on.  Extermination  rather  helps  it. 
If  you  follow  a  slender  white  root,  it  will  be  found  to 
run  under  the  ground  until  it  meets  another  slender  white 
root ;  and  you  will  soon  unearth  a  network  of  them,  with 
a  knot  somewhere,  sending  up  dozens  of  sharp-pointed, 
healthy  shoots,  every  joint  prepared  to  be  an  independent 
life  and  plant.  The  only  way  to  deal  with  it  is  to  take 
one  part  hoe  and  two  parts  fingers,  and  carefully  dig  it 
out,  not  leaving  a  joint  anywhere.     It  will  take  a  little 


EXPOSITION  259 

time,  say  all  summer,  to  dig  out  thoroughly  a  small  patch ; 
but  if  you  once  dig  it  out,  and  keep  it  out,  you  will  have 
no  further  trouble. 

I  have  said  it  was  total  depravity.  Here  it  is.  If  you 
attempt  to  pull  up  and  root  out  any  sin  in  you,  which  shows 
on  the  surface,  —  if  it  does  not  show,  you  do  not  care  for 
it,  —  you  may  have  noticed  how  it  runs  into  an  interior 
network  of  sins,  and  an  ever-sprouting  branch  of  them 
roots  somewhere  ;  and  that  you  cannot  pull  up  one  without 
making  a  general  internal  disturbance,  and  rooting  up  your 
whole  being.  I  suppose  it  is  less  trouble  to  quietly  cut 
them  off  at  the  top,  —  say  once  a  week,  on  Sunday,  when 
you  put  on  your  religious  clothes  and  face,  —  so  that  no 
one  will  see  them,  and  not  try  to  eradicate  the  network 

within.  Warner,  from  My  Summer  in  a  Garden. 

By  a  very  simple  analogy  Mr.  Heilprin  has  ex- 
plained how  mountains  are  formed. 

Perhaps  the  simplest  mountain  that  we  can  picture  to 
ourselves  as  having  been  formed  through  a  contraction  of 
the  earth's  mass  is  a  single  fold  of  rock-strata.  If  you 
place  on  a  table  a  number  of  napkins  or  table-cloths,  one 
upon  another,  and  push  gently  from  the  opposite  sides, 
you  are  likely  to  force  up  a  fold  of  this  kind.  Your 
pushing  is  only  the  equivalent  of  the  pulling  in  of  the 
earth's  crust,  and  the  napkins  may  be  taken  to  be  the 
rock-strata.  If  you  continue  pushing,  you  will  probably 
raise  up  a  number  of  distinct  folds  running  parallel  to  one 
another.  So,  in  case  of  the  earth's  crust,  continued  or 
excessive  strain  has  reared  up  parallel  folds  of  rock,  and 
these  are  the  backbones  of  mountain  chains. 

Heilprin,  from  The  Earth  and  its  Story. 

Many  of  our  common  proverbs  are  really  anal- 
ogies in  which  but  one  of  the  relations  is  expressed. 


260  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

For  example,  "  a  rolling  stone  gathers  no  moss " 
means  that  just  as  a  rolling  stone  gathers  no  moss, 
so  a  changeable  man  gathers  neither  money  nor 
honor.  The  relation  between  a  changeable  man 
and  money  is  not  expressed  ;  it  is  understood. 

Complete  the  analogy  in  the  proverb,  "  A  bird  in 
hand  is  worth  two  in  the  bush."  And  the  follow- 
ing :  "  Birds  of  a  feather  flock  together."  And 
this:  "My  cake  is  dough."  And  this:  "Don't 
count  your  chickens  before  they  are  hatched." 

Composition  Exercises. 

Write  a  paragraph  upon  the  circulatory  system, 
using  the  analogy  suggested.  Work  out  the  com- 
parison somewhat  in  detail. 

Hawthorne  compared  the  work  of  a  generous 
man  in  a  community  to  the  good  done  by  a  stream 
watering  a  thirsty  land.  It  is  an  analogy.  Write 
upon  the  topic  sentence :  —  No  one  can  count  the 
joy  and  happiness  scattered  in  a  community  by  one 
generous  man,  —  using  the  analogy  of  the  brook. 

Or,  write  upon  any  of  the  subjects  suggested  by 
the  proverbs.  For  example,  A  little  that  one  is 
sure  of  is  better  than  a  fortune  in  uncertainties. 
Or,  It  is  bad  policy  to  spend  one's  money  before 
one  has  it. 

GENEBAL   OBSERVATIONS. 

An  idea  may  be  made  clear  by  defining  the 
terms  used ;  by  repeating  the  thought  in  other 
words,  either  affirmatively  or  obversely ;   by  the 


EXPOSITION  261 

use  of  examples ;  and  by  employing  analogies.  It 
is  very  unusual  to  find  in  any  single  paragraph 
but  one  method  of  exposition.  Generally  two  or 
three  methods  are  combined,  because  it  gives  clear- 
ness to  the  thought  and  it  adds  variety  to  the 
expression.  The  purpose  of  exposition  is  to  ex- 
plain ;  and  any  device  that  can  contribute  to  clear- 
ness should  be  used.  If  one  method  is  enough, 
use  one ;  if  all  are  needed,  use  all.  Be  sure  to 
explain. 

Some  time  ago  it  was  said  that  the  first  essen- 
tial of  a  good  composition  was  a  knowledge  of  the 
subject.  This  is  true  for  all  kinds  of  composition ; 
but  full  knowledge  seems  most  essential  in  exposi- 
tion. It  must  be  evident  by  this  time  that  to 
explain  an  abstract  idea  is  more  difficult  than  to 
tell  a  story  or  to  write  a  description.  Ideas  can- 
not be  placed  before  one  and  looked  at  until  they 
are  thoroughly  understood.  Still,  if  one  is  to  be 
clear  in  his  explanation,  he  must  think  his  subject 
all  out  until  he  sees  it  all  as  clear  as  day.  He  must 
have  complete  knowledge  of  his  subject. 

Moreover,  if  he  is  to  be  clear  in  exposition,  a 
writer  must  consider  the  person  to  whom  he  makes 
his  explanation.  He  must  consider  how  much  or 
how  little  the  other  person  knows,  so  that  his 
explanation  will  be  full  enough  to  be  perfectly 
clear.  And  he  must  consider  what  terms  the  other 
person  is  probably  acquainted  wdth,  so  that  his 
language  will  not  be  too  difficult. 


262  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Tyndall  was  a  great  scientist.^  Had  he  been 
talking  to  men  familiar  with  science,  he  could 
have  taken  it  for  granted  that  they  knew  some 
things  about  the  sun's  power,  and  he  could  have 
omitted  much  that  he  did  say  in  "  The  Origin  of 
Rivers."  So,  too,  such  men  would  have  under- 
stood scientific  terms,  and  in  such  words  he  would 
have  addressed  them.  But  in  writing  for  young 
people,  he  considered  that  they  would  not  know 
much  about  science,  and  that  the  terms  used  must 
be  simple.  In  exposition  one  should  always  con- 
sider the  other  person,  —  how  little  he  knows,  and 
what  words  he  is  familiar  with.  Write  to  the 
other  person. 

In  description  the  last  advice  was  to  look,  see, 
observe.  In  exposition  the  word  is  think,  think, 
think.  Think  the  subject  clear  in  your  own  mind ; 
think  of  the  other  person, — just  what  he  needs; 
think  of  every  way  in  which  your  ideas  can  be 
made  clear.     Then  write  your  best  thought. 

Composition  Exercise. 

Make  an  outline  of  one  of  the  following  sub- 
jects, after  talking  it  over  in  class.  Then  write 
upon  the  subject,  following  your  outline.  This 
essay  will  probably  occupy  several  days.  One 
well-made  paragraph  a  day  is  good  work. 

Why  I  love  America. 

What  our  flag  should  mean  to  every  American. 

What  it  means  to  be  an  American. 


1 


EXPOSITION  263 

What  I  would  do  if  I  could  vote. 

The  influence  of  heroes  upon  the  life  of  a  nation. 

MEMORIZE. 

GETTYSBURG  SPEECH. 

Fourscore  and  seven  years  ago,  our  fathers  brought 
forth  on  this  continent  a  new  nation,  conceived  in  liberty, 
and  dedicated  to  the  proposition  that  all  men  are  created 
equal.  Now  we  are  engaged  in  a  great  civil  war,  testing 
whether  that  nation,  or  any  nation  so  conceived  and  so 
dedicated,  can  long  endure.  We  are  met  on  a  great  bat- 
tlefield of  that  war.  We  have  come  to  dedicate  a  portion 
of  that  field  z,s  a  final  resting-place  for  those  who  here 
gave  their  lives  that  that  nation  might  live.  It  is  alto- 
gether fitting  and  proper  that  we  should  do  this.  But  in 
a  larger  sense  we  cannot  dedicate,  we  cannot  consecrate, 
we  cannot  hallow  this  ground.  The  brave  men,  living 
and  dead,  who  struggled  here,  have  consecrated  it  far 
above  our  poor  power  to  add  or  detract.  The  world  will 
little  note,  nor  long  remember,  what  we  say  here,  but  it 
can  never  forget  what  they  did  here.  It  is  for  us,  the 
living,  rather  to  be  dedicated  here  to  the  unfinished  work 
which  they  who  fought  here  have  thus  far  so  nobly  ad- 
vanced. It  is  rather  for  us  to  be  here  dedicated  to  the 
great  task  remaining  before  us,  —  that  from  these  hon- 
ored dead  we  take  increased  devotion  to  that  cause  for 
which  they  gave  the  last  full  measure  of  devotion,  —  that 
we  here  highly  resolve  that  these  dead  shall  not  have  died 
in  vain,  —  that  this  nation,  under  God,  shall  have  a  new 
birth  of  freedom,  —  and  that  government  of  the  people, 
by  the  people,  for  the  people,  shall  not  perish  from  the 
earth.  Lincoln. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

LETTER  WRITING. 

All  persons  write  letters;  some  persons  write 
better  ones  than  others.  Indeed,  there  are  to-day 
but  few  charming  letter-writers ;  probably  because 
but  few  are  charming  in  their  conversation.  Yet 
our  letters  are  seldom  as  good  as  our  conversation; 
for  when  a  person  begins  to  set  down  what  he 
would  have  said  to  his  friend,  had  the  friend  been 
present,  he  finds  that  the  written  form  grows  stiff 
and  very  unlike  his  talk,  and  the  charm  of  his 
conversation  has  been  lost  in  the  labor  of  writing 
a  letter.  Though  ease  and  grace  in  letter-writing 
will  never  be  gained  by  many,  certain  established 
forms  must  be  learned  by  all  who  expect  to  enter 
either  the  business  or  the  social  world.  These 
established  forms  are  concerned  with  the  heading, 
the  address,  the  salutation,  the  complimentary 
close,  and  the  signature. 

THE    HEADING. 

The  heading  of  a  letter  announces  to  the  reader 
the  place  from  which,  and  the  date  on  which,  it 
was  written.  These  two  things  are  necessary  to 
an  understanding  of  the  letter ;  and  they  are  still 


LETTER  WRITING  265 

more  necessary  when  a  reply  is  to  be  sent.  In 
that  case,  should  the  address  on  the  envelop  be 
illegible  or  become  erased,  or  should  the  person  to 
whom  the  letter  is  written  not  call  for  it,  and  the 
letter  arrive  at  the  home  of  all  wandering  letters, 
the  Dead  Letter  Office  could  return  it  to  the 
sender. 

On  letter  paper,  not  note  paper,  the  heading 
begins  about  an  inch  and  a  half  below  the  middle 
of  the  top  of  the  sheet.  It  usually  occupies  two 
lines :  the  first  contains  the  name  of  the  place  and 
the  state,  and  the  second  has  the  date.  If  a  letter 
is  written  from  a  city,  the  house  number  with  the 
street  has  to  be  given ;  in  this  case,  the  house 
number  and  street  make  the  first  line,  the  city 
and  state  the  second,  and  the  date  the  third.  Each 
line  of  the  heading  should  begin  a  little  farther  to 
the  right  than  the  line  above  it. 

The  heading  is  an  abbreviation  of  a  long  sen- 
tence. Thus,  the  heading,  129  Hennepin  Ave., 
Minneapolis,  Minn.,  Dec.  9, 1901,  means,  This  letter 
was  written  from  house  numbered  129  Hennepin 
Avenue,  in  Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  on  the  ninth 
of  December,  in  the  year  nineteen  hundred  and 
one.  In  the  heading  many  of  the  words  of  this 
long  sentence  are  omitted  ;  and  wherever  words 
are  omitted  commas  are  inserted;  and  wherever 
w^ords  are  abbreviated  periods  mark  the  abbrevia- 
tion. Notice  especially  the  period  and  comma  fol- 
lowing the  abbreviation  for  the  state  and  the  month. 


266  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

In  friendly  letters  the  heading  is  sometimes 
placed  at  the  end ;  in  this  case  it  is  at  the  left, 
and  begins  one  line  below  the  signature.  The 
punctuation  is  exactly  the  same  as  when  written 
at  the  beginning  of  a  letter. 


Clearwater,  Mont., 
Jan.  7,  1902. 


129  Hennepin  Ave., 

Minneapolis,  Minn., 
Dec.  9,  1901. 


Exercise. 

Put  the  following  facts  into  headings  properly. 
Be  especially  watchful  of  the  punctuation  and  the 
penmanship. 

Charleston  south  Carolina,  palmetto  street  714  July 
4     1897. 

Trumbull  Co.     ohio     greensburg    June  15     1902. 

Auditorium  Hotel    illinois    august  31     1896    Chicago. 

Kome     Italy     52  Via  Sistina     February  1     1900. 

September  15  1901  221  Girard  Avenue  Phila- 
delphia     Pennsylvania. 

THE   ADDRESS. 

The  address  contains  the  name  and  title  of  the 
person  to  whom  the  letter  is  written  and  his  place 
of  residence.  These  two  items  are  necessary  ;  for 
should  a  letter  be  enclosed  in  the  wrong  envelop. 


LETTER  WRITING  267 

the  person  receiving  it  can  forward  it  at  once  to 
the  right  person.  Or,  if  the  letter  should  reach 
the  Dead  Letter  Office,  it  can  be  promptly  for- 
warded. More  than  the  service  done,  however, 
is  the  courtesy  shown  to  the  person  to  whom  the 
letter  is  written  by  acquainting  him  with  the  fact 
that  the  writer  knows  his  title  and  the  place  of  his 
residence. 

In  addressing  persons  who  have  titles  such  as 
Rev.,  Dr.,  Hon.,  but  one  title  should  be  used. 
For  instance,  one  should  not  write  "  Rev.  S.  L. 
Stearns,  D.  D.,"  or  "  Dr.  Asa  Gray,  M.  D. ;  "  nei- 
ther should  he  write  "  Mr.  David  Jones,  M.  D." 
"  S.  L.  Stearns,  D.  D.,"  '^Dr.  Asa  Gray,"  and  "  Mr. 
David  Jones ''  are  correct.  In  one  case  this  rule 
is  broken  :  if  a  clergyman  is  addressed,  and  his 
initials  are  forgotten,  it  is  proper  to  write  "  Rev. 
Mr.  Stearns."  Remember  that  all  persons  have 
some  title ;  if  not  a  distinctive  one,  such  as  Dr., 
Hon.,  Pres.,  it  certainly  is  Mr.,  or  Mrs.,  or  Miss. 
Never  omit  the  title  in  the  address. 

The  address  is  written  at  the  left  side  of  the 
paper,  and  begins  one  line  below  the  last  line  of 
the  heading.  The  first  line  always  contains  the 
name  of  the  person  to  whom  the  letter  is  written, 
together  with  his  title.  The  last  line  contains  the 
name  of  the  place  and  the  state.  If  the  person 
addressed  lives  in  a  city,  a  line  must  be  inserted 
between  these  two  containing  his  house  number 
and  street. 


268 


ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 


The  address,  like  the  heading,  is  an  abbreviated 
sentence.  And  in  the  address,  as  in  the  headings 
wherever  words  are  omitted,  commas  are  inserted. 
The  whole  address  is  closed  with  a  period. 


Cambridge,  Mass., 
July  7,  1847. 
Mr.  John  G.  Whittier, 
Haverhill,  Mass. 


U.  S.  Consulate, 

Liverpool,  England, 
Jan.  1,  1902. 
Hon.  John  Hay, 
Department  of  State, 
Washington,  D.  C. 


Exercise. 

Write  headings  and  addresses  of  letters  includ- 
ing the  following  data  :  — 

Trenton     N     J     1901     December  7.  • 

Minn     Wabasha     Jan  3     1902. 

February  21     1891     N  Y     Binghamton. 

21  May    1901     Clark  eo     South  Dakota     Howard. 

New  York     127     East  14th  Street     1897     June  28. 

Wyckoff,  Seamans  and  Benedict  327  Broadway  New 
York    City. 

The  Globe- Wernicke  Company  London  E.  C.  7 
Bunhill  Row     England. 

Mary  Huntington     946  Tremont  Street,  Boston   Mass. 

James  H.  Sawyer  D.  D.  427  Albemarle  Street  Bal- 
timore    Maryland. 

Amos  Barton  Washington  D.  C.  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives. 


LETTER  WRITING  269 


THE   SALUTATION. 


The  salutation  is  the  next  part  of  a  letter.  It 
is  written  one  line  below  the  address,  and  at  the 
left  margin  of  the  paper.  There  are  a  large  num- 
ber of  salutations ;  and  the  form  adopted  depends 
upon  the  relation  existing  between  the  writer  of 
the  letter  and  the  person  that  receives  it.  A  busi- 
ness man  addresses  his  correspondent  as  ^-Sir;" 
while  a  friend  writes  "  Dear  Mr.  Stevenson." 

One  thing  should  be  noted  :  the  word  "  dear  " 
in  the  business  world  means  nothing.  Our  lan- 
guage has  no  other  word  for  the  place  ;  and  so, 
although  the  word  denotes  a  degree  of  intimacy, 
people  go  on  writing  it  to  persons  whom  they  have 
never  seen,  and  whom  they  know  only  as  dealers 
in  the  kind  of  merchandise  they  wish  to  buy  or  sell. 
"  Sir  "  and  "  Gentlemen  "  without  the  qualifying 
"  dear  "  are  coming  more  and  more  into  use.  This 
change  certainly  seems  sensible  and  in  good  taste. 

One  other  fact  is  worthy  of  notice.  Contradic- 
tory as  it  may  seem,  fashion  in  America  has 
determined  that  to  write  "  Dear  Mr.  Stevenson  " 
indicates  a  greater  degree  of  intimacy  than  "  My 
dear  Mr.  Stevenson."  One  may  write  "  My  dear 
Mr.  Stevenson"  to  a  comparative  stranger;  not 
so  "  Dear  Mr.  Stevenson."  Notice  further  that 
the  word  ''  dear,"  unless  it  is  the  first  word  of  the 
salutation,  does  not  begin  with  a  capital  letter. 
It  is  equally  important  to  remember  that  the  word 


270  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

"  Sir  "  or  "  Friend/'  or  whatever  principal  word  is 
used  in  the  salutation,  does  begin  with  a  capital 
letter. 

The  punctuation  which  follows  the  salutation 
varies.  The  older  writers,  as  Emerson,  Carlyle, 
Browning,  Tennyson,  Scott,  and  Lowell,  use  the 
comma  and  dash ;  and  the  usage  of  such  men 
stamps  it  as  being  in  good  taste.  However,  the 
colon  is  coming  to  be  regarded  as  equally  good 
for  this  place ;  and  there  is  excellent  authority  for 
the  colon  and  dash.  The  comma  and  dash  seem 
to  be  in  best  taste  for  letters  of  friendship ;  and  the 
colon,  or  the  colon  and  dash,  for  business  letters. 

Below  are  given  several  forms  of  salutation  :  — 

Sir :  My  dear  Mr.  Brooks,  —  My  dear  Sir :  — 

Gentlemen :       Dear  Mrs.  Glegg,  —  Dear  Father,  — 

Madam :         My  dear  Friend,  —  Dear  Timothy,  — 


Mr.  John  G.  Whittier, 

Haverhill,  Mass. 
My  dear  Mr.  Whittier,  — 


Cambridge,  Mass., 
July  7, 1847. 


Exercise. 

Write  headings,  addresses,  and  salutations  to 
the  following  persons,  from  your  own  home. 

1.  The  governor  of  your  state. 

2.  The  author  you  like  best. 

3.  A  schoolmate  who  has  moved  away  from  your  city. 

4.  A  dealer  in  merchandise. 

5.  The  editor  of  a  paper  you  take. 


LETTER  WRITING  271 

6.  The  superintendent  of  schools. 

7.  The  mayor  of  the  city. 

8.  The  member  of  Congress  from  your  district. 

9.  The  President  of  the  United  States. 

10.  A  person  you  have  met  but  once. 

11.  A  member  of  your  family. 


THE  BODY  OF  A  LETTER. 

The  body  of  a  letter  follows  the  salutation.  It 
may  begin  on  the  line  below  the  salutation ;  or^  to 
save  space,  it  may  begin  on  the  same  line  with  the 
salutation.  In  the  former  case  the  first  word  of 
the  letter  is  just  below  the  mark  of  punctuation 
which  follows  the  salutation,  or,  if  the  salutation 
is  long,  further  to  the  left  at  a  point  where  it 
would  begin  with  "  Dear  Sir  "  for  a  salutation. 

Letters  may  be  roughly  classified  as  letters  of 
friendship,  of  business,  and  of  society.  The  style 
of  a  letter  should  suit  the  purpose  it  is  to  serve. 

A  letter  of  friendship  should  be  as  nearly 
as  possible  like  pleasant  conversation.  It  should 
be  newsy,  and  contain  much  of  the  writer's  own 
experiences  and  opinions.  A  good  letter  sounds 
"just  like  her."  Letter  writing  too  often  becomes 
essay  writing ;  and  when  a  letter  adopts  the  stiff 
manner  of  an  essay,  it  has  lost  its  charm  and  be- 
come a  dull  letter.  On  the  other  hand,  great  care 
should  be  taken  in  order  that  a  letter  be  not  too 
informal.  To  use  pet  names,  to  introduce  slang 
or  other  coarse  expressions,  or  to  employ  abbrevia- 


272  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

tions  is  to  violate  good  taste.  The  person  who 
does  such  things  is  as  ignorant  as  he  who,  instead 
of  touching  his  hat  and  saying  "  Good  morning/' 
slaps  you  across  the  back  and  says  '-'  Hello !  " 

Moreover,  there  is  no  place  in  any  letter  for 
carelessness.  Words  must  be  carefully  chosen,  and 
they  must  be  spelled  correctly ;  the  rules  for  punc- 
tuation must  be  obeyed  ;  sentences  and  paragraphs 
must  be  carefully  formed.  Perhaps  in  no  kind 
of  writing  do  people  give  so  little  attention  to 
paragraphing  as  in  letters.  They  string  one  thing 
after  another ;  and  the  same  paragraph  will  have 
the  announcement  of  the  grandmother's  death  and 
a  comment  on  the  coronation  of  King  Edward. 
Eemember  that  in  all  kinds  of  composition  the 
rules  for  paragraphs  must  be  followed.  The  letter 
of  friendship  should  be  in  every  respect  correct ; 
it  should  be  in  good  taste;  and  it  should  be  in- 
formal. 

A  few  words  of  caution  about  the  opening  and 
closing  of  friendly  letters  may  be  of  service.  It  is 
unnecessary  to  announce  to  a  friend  at  the  begin- 
ning of  a  letter  that  you  are  thinking  of  writing 
her  a  letter,  or  that  you  take  your  '^  pen  in  hand." 
The  fact  that  she  has  received  the  letter  proves 
both  things,  and  saves  you  from  that  unnecessary 
trouble.  So,  too,  it  is  in  bad  taste  to  begin  a 
letter  with  'an  apology.  A  letter,  like  any  other 
piece  of  composition,  should  move  off  at  once  with*^ 
out  any  needless  introductions.   And  a  letter  should 


LETTER  WRITING  273 

be  closed  when  the  news  is  told.  The  fact  that 
the  postman  will  soon  collect  the  mail^  or  that  the 
train  will  soon  arrive  has  served  a  good  many  per- 
sons as  an  excuse  for  closing  a  letter.  Indeed  this 
excuse  occurs  nearly  as  often  as  the  apology  for  a 
bad  pen,  and  the  hope  "  that  this  will  find  you  the 
same."  What  does  a  friend  care  about  your  pen- 
manship, if  she  can  read  the  letter  ?  And  the  fact 
that  you  are  her  friend  warrants  her  in  believing 
that  you  wish  her  to  be  in  good  health.  It  is  your 
own  self  that  your  friend  wishes  to  know  about,  — 
what  you  are  doing  and  what  you  are  thinking. 
Omit  all  the  introductory  excuses  and  apologies ; 
and  especially  see  to  it  that  none  of  these  old  worn- 
out  phrases  ever  finds  its  way  into  a  letter  of  yours. 
Begin  a  letter  at  once ;  and  stop  when  you  have 
finished  all  that  could  be  of  interest  to  your  corre- 
spondent. 

A  letter  of  business  is  quite  different  in  its  pur- 
pose from  a  letter  of  friendship.  A  business  man 
wishes  to  be  understood,  and  that  quickly ;  so  a 
business  letter  is  characterized  by  clearness  and 
directness.  Yet  a  business  letter  should  never  be 
on  the  model  of  a  telegram.  Such  a  beginning  as 
the  following  is  bad :  "  Letter  reed.  Contents 
noted.  Replying  would  say  etc.,  etc."  In  the 
business  world  there  is  no  place  for  any  discour- 
tesy; and  the  omission  of  words  or  punctuation 
marks,  because  the  writer  thinks  that  the  one  who 
receives  it  does  not  care  whether  it  is  well  or 


274  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

poorly  written,  is  putting  a  low  rating  upon  the 
taste  of  the  receiver  of  the  letter.  Without  omit- 
ting any  detail,  the  omission  of  which  would  stamp 
the  writer  as  less  than  courteous,  a  business  letter 
should  be  short,  direct,  to  the  point,  and  so  clear 
that  it  cannot  be  misunderstood. 

In  a  business  letter  paragraphing  is  very  import- 
ant. Every  business  house  now  copies  all  the  let- 
ters it  sends  out ;  and  it  files  away  all  the  letters 
it  receives.  Both  things  are  done  so  that  all  the 
correspondence  may  be  at  hand,  should  any  dis- 
pute arise  regarding  the  terms  of  a  transaction.  If 
the  head  of  a  firm  should  need  a  letter  written  a 
month  ago  and  find  that  it  contained  three  pages, 
and  all  in  one  paragraph,  he  would  have  to  read 
through  the  whole  letter  to  learn  what  he  wished. 
If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  discussion  of  each  topic 
formed  a  separate  paragraph,  he  would  know  that 
a  paragraph  beginning  about  fish  would  not  quote 
the  price  of  silks.  A  person  cannot  be  too  careful 
in  paragraphing  a  business  letter. 

Notes  of  invitation  and  notes  accepting  invita- 
tions or  regretting  that  invitations  cannot  be  ac- 
cepted may  be  either  formal  or  informal.  If  the 
persons  are  intimate  friends  and  the  party  is  not 
a  large  affair,  the  invitation  may  be  informal. 
Such  a  note  should  contain  nothing  but  the  invi- 
tation, stating  the  kind  of  function  it  is  to  be,  the 
hour,  and  the  place.  It  should  be  perfectly  clear, 
and  direct  as  politeness  will  allow. 


LETTER  WRITING  275 

If  the  invitation  is  to  a  large  party  or  reception, 
the  note  should  be  formal.  And  society  has  di- 
rected that  such  notes  of  invitation  and  acceptance 
shall  follow  fixed  forms.  Each  person  may  not 
suit  his  own  pleasure  in  such  matters.  Instead  of 
the  usual  address  and  salutation,  complimentary 
close  and  signature,  formal  notes  omit  all  these  and 
are  written  in  the  third  person.  The  words  "  you  " 
and  "  I "  do  not  appear  in  them.  The  examples 
on  page  289  give  an  idea  of  the  manner  adopted 
in  formal  notes ;  but  to  avoid  embarrassing  mis- 
takes the  safe  thing  to  do  is  to  have  a  book  con- 
taining all  the  forms  accepted  by  good  society,  and 
to  follow  them  slavishly. 

THE  COMPLIMENTARY  CLOSE. 

The  complimentary  close  follows  the  body  of  the 
letter.  It  is  written  one  line  below  the  body  of 
the  letter,  and  begins  about  the  middle  of  the  line. 

There  are  many  forms  for  closing  a  letter ;  but 
they  are  all  abbreviated  sentences.  '^Sincerely 
yours  "  means  "  I  am  sincerely  yours."  If,  how- 
ever, a  person  writes  a  phrase  or  a  clause  for  his 
complimentary  close,  such  words  must  conform 
to  the  rules  of  grammar.  One  should  not  write 
"  This  will  oblige  Yours  truly ; "  for  "  Yours 
truly"  cannot  possibly  be  the  object  of  the  verb 
^'  oblige."  In  conversation  he  would  say,  "  This 
will  oblige  me;"  and  in  a  letter  he  should  write 
^'  and  oblige  me.     Yours  truly,  John  Honeyman." 


276  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

Any  form  of  closing  that  is  much  abbreviated  is 
in  bad  taste.  '^  Yours  "  alone  should  never  be  used. 
Nothing  could  be  much  worse  than  "  Yours,  etc." 
It  would  look  just  as  well  to  write  in  the  salutation 
"  etc.  Jones."  Remember  that  the  close  is  a  com- 
plimentary close ;  and  it  should  be  as  courteous  as 
you  can  make  it.  Abbreviations  show  haste ;  and 
haste  is  never  courteous. 

In  closing  a  letter  to  a  person  holding  a  high 
position,  or  to  a  person  who  has  become  famous, 
more  formality  is  employed  than  in  an  ordinary 
business  letter.  To  the  governor  of  the  state  the 
salutation  is  usually  "  Sir ; "  and  the  close,  some 
sentence  like  the  following :  ''  I  have  the  honor  to 
remain,  Sir,  Your  obedient  servant,  John  Honey- 
man." 

Care  should  always  be  taken  to  have  the  close 
and  the  salutation  in  harmony.  One  should  not 
write  "  Sir  "  and  then  close  with  the  words, ''  Faith- 
fully yours."  Neither  would  it  be  in  good  taste 
to  write  "  Dear  Mrs.  Honeyman,"  and  close  with 
"I  have  the  honor.  Madam,  to  remain  Yours 
with  much  respect,  Ellery  James."  The  saluta- 
tion and  the  close  should  be  nicely  adapted  to 
each  other. 

The  first  word  of  the  complimentary  close  should 
begin  with  a  capital  letter,  but  no  other  word 
should.  "  Yours  very  truly "  is  right ;  "  Yours 
Very  Truly"  is  wrong.  A  comma  follows  the 
complimentary  close. 


LETTER  WRITING  277 

Custom  has   accepted   the   following   forms   of 
complimentary  close.     All  are  in  good  taste. 
Yours  truly,  Yours  sincerely, 

Yours  very  truly,  Yours  respectfully, 

Cordially  yours.  Very  truly  yours, 

Truly  your  friend,  Your  affectionate  mother, 

Your  loving  daughter, 

I  have  the  honor,  Sir,  to  remain 

Most  respectfully  yours, 
Believe  me.  Sir, 

Most  sincerely  yours, 

THE  SIGNATUKE. 

The  signature  follows  the  close  of  a  letter.  It  is 
placed  one  line  below  and  a  little  to  the  right  of 
the  complimentary  close.  It  should  be  the  name 
of  the  writer  as  he  usually  signs  it ;  that  is^  sur- 
name and  initials,  or  surname  and  Christian  name 
and  one  initial.  In  the  case  of  very  intimate 
friends  or  relatives,  one  is  allowed  to  sign  his 
given  name  alone  or  only  his  initials. 

FOIiDING  AND  ENCLOSING  A  LETTER. 

There  is  a  right  way  and  a  wrong  way  to  fold 
and  enclose  a  letter.  Many  people  care  little 
whether  letters  are  folded  and  enclosed  for  the 
convenience  of  the  receiver  of  them ;  their  care 
seems  to  be  to  get  the  letters  inside  the  envelops. 
A  letter  upon  note  paper,  which  is  now  generally 
used  in  friendly  correspondence,  should  be  placed 
upon  the  desk  with  the  first  page  up  ready  for 


278  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

folding.  It  should  be  folded  from  the  bottom  up. 
Then-  with  the  envelop  in  the  hand,  the  letter 
should  be  taken  in  the  right  hand,  and  the  top  and 
bottom  edges  of  the  letter  inserted  first,  the  folded 
edge  being  at  the  top  of  the  envelop.  In  this  way, 
when  the  envelop  is  opened  at  the  top,  as  it  should 
be,  the  person  receiving  the  letter  can  remove  it 
with  the  least  possible  inconvenience ;  and  it  is  in 
the  right  position  for  him  to  begin  reading  at  once. 

If  the  letter  is  written  upon  letter  paper,  —  the 
size  generally  used  in  business  correspondence,  — 
the  sheet  should  be  folded  up  from  the  bottom  just 
far  enough  to  make  the  length  of  the  letter  a  little 
less  than  the  length  of  the  envelop.  Then  fold  the 
edges  in  equally,  enough  to  make  the  folded  letter 
a  little  narrower  than  the  envelop,  folding  the  left 
edge  down  first.  Taking  the  letter  in  the  right 
hand  and  the  envelop  in  the  left,  insert  the  letter  so 
that  the  fold  and  exposed  edge  go  in  first.  If  it  is 
done  this  way,  when  it  is  removed  the  letter  comes 
out  easily,  and  is  right  side  and  right  end  up  for 
reading. 

These  may  seem  like  little  things ;  but  when  a 
man  has  to  open  and  read  one  or  two  hundred  let- 
ters a  day,  it  is  no  little  accommodation  to  him  to 
have  them  arranged  for  his  convenience.  And  it  is 
the  boy  or  girl  who  does  these  little  things  cor- 
rectly that  gets  employment,  holds  his  place,  and 
wins  promotion. 

The  superscription  upon  the  envelop  is  the  same 


LETTER  WRITING  279 

as  the  address  of  the  letter.  It  contains  the  name 
of  the  person  to  whom  the  letter  is  written,  his 
house  number  and  street,  the  city,  and  the  state. 
If  the  town  is  very  small,  it  is  well  to  give  the 
county.  If  the  letter  is  ^ent  in  care  of  a  third 
person,  the  direction  should  immediately  follow  the 
name,  and  it  should  not  be  written  in  the  lower  left- 
hand  corner  of  the  envelop.  If  the  letter  be  one 
of  introduction,  the  phrase  "Introducing  Mr.  Jane- 
way  "  should  be  written  in  the  lower  left-hand 
corner  of  the  envelop. 

No  pains  should  be  spared  to  make  the  super- 
scription as  plain  as  possible.  It  is  said  that  more 
than  five  million  letters  and  parcels  go  to  the  Dead 
Letter  Office  every  year.  These  letters  contain 
more  than  $10,000,000.  The  reason  that  they  go 
there  is  because  they  have  no  addresses,  incorrect 
addresses,  incomplete  addresses,  or  illegible  ad- 
dresses. 

The  superscription  should  be  well  placed  upon 
the  envelop.  The  name  stands  as  near  the  centre 
of  the  envelop  as  it  is  possible  to  place  it.  The 
other  items  of  the  superscription  are  placed  exactly 
as  in  the  address.  The  punctuation  is  the  same  as 
in  the  address. 


280 


ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 


Address 


Salutation 


LETTER  FORM. 


Heading 


Body  of  the  letter 


New  paragraph 


Complimentary  close 


Signature 


LETTER  WRITING  281 

Put  the  following  data  into  the  proper  forms  for 
beginning  and  ending  a  letter :  — 

1.  A  letter  written  by  Elmer  Day  living  at  Clearwater, 
Minn,  on  the  29th  of  September,  1899,  to  Marshall,  Wells 
and  Co.,  Duluth,  Minn. 

2.  139  E.  Seventh  Street,  St.  Paul,  Minn.  Houghton, 
Mifflin  &  Co.,  4  Park  Street,  Boston,  Massachusetts, 
Gentlemen,  Please  reply  as  soon  as  possible,  and  oblige 
us.  Respectfully  yours,  James  Owen  and  Son. 

3.  Elmwood,  Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  January  1, 
1890,  Mr.  Leslie  Stephen,  British  Museum,  London, 
Dear  Leslie,  Affectionately  yours,  J.  R.  L. 

4.  Fifteen  miles  from  any  place,  About  the  20th  of 
September,  1901,  Jack  Havergail,  45,  Portland  Square, 
Erie,  Pennsylvania,  Dear  Jack,  Hoping  soon  to  see  a 
house  and  to  sleep  in  a  bed,  I  am.  Yours  truly,  Ben  Jon- 
son. 

The  following  are  examples  of  good  letters. 
The  first  is  written  by  James  Russell  Lowell  to  the 
Misses  Lawrence,  at  whose  home  in  Whitby  he 
lived  a  number  of  summers. 

Elmwood,  Cambridge,  Mass., 
January  2,  1890. 

.  .  .  Here  I  am  again  in  the  house  where  I  was  born 
longer  ago  than  you  can  remember,  though  I  wish  you 
more  New  Year's  days  than  I  have  had.  'T  is  a  pleasant 
old  house  just  about  twice  as  old  as  I  am,  four  miles  from 
Boston,  in  what  was  once  the  country  and  is  now  a  popu- 
lous suburb.  But  it  still  has  some  ten  acres  of  open  about 
it,  and  some  fine  old  trees.  When  the  worst  comes  to  the 
worst  (if  I  live  so  long)  I  shall  still  have  four  and  a  half 


282  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

acres  left  with  the  house,  the  rest  belonging  to  my  brothers 
and  sisters  or  their  heirs.  It  is  a  square  house  with  four 
rooms  on  a  floor,  like  some  houses  of  the  Georgian  era  I 
have  seen  in  English  provincial  towns,  only  they  are  of 
brick  and  this  is  wood.  But  it  is  solid  with  its  heavy 
oaken  beams,  the  spaces  between  which  in  the  four  outer 
walls  are  filled  in  with  brick,  though  you  must  n't  fancy 
a  brick-and-timber  house,  for  outwardly  it  is  sheathed  with 
wood.  Inside  there  is  much  wainscot  (of  deal)  painted 
white  in  the  fashion  of  the  time  it  was  built.  It  is  very 
sunny,  the  sun  rising  so  as  to  shine  (at  an  acute  angle,  to 
be  sure)  through  the  northern  windows,  and  going  round 
the  other  three  sides  in  the  course  of  the  day.  There  is 
a  pretty  staircase  with  the  quaint  old  twisted  banisters, 
which  they  call  balusters  now,  but  mine  are  banisters. 
My  library  occupies  two  rooms  opening  into  each  other 
by  arches  at  the  sides  of  the  ample  chimneys.  The  trees 
I  look  out  on  are  the  earliest  things  I  remember.  There 
you  have  me  in  my  new-world  quarters.  But  you  must 
not  fancy  a  large  house  —  rooms  sixteen  feet  square,  and, 
on  the  ground  floor,  nine  high.  It  was  large,  as  things 
went  here,  when  it  was  built,  and  has  a  certain  air  of  am- 
plitude about  it  as  from  some  inward  sense  of  dignity. 

Now  for  out  of  doors.  What  do  you  suppose  the  ther- 
mometer is  about  on  this  second  day  of  January  ?  I  was 
going  to  say  he  was  standing  on  his  head  —  at  any  rate 
he  's  forgotten  what  he  's  about,  and  is  marking  sixty- 
three  degrees  Fahrenheit  on  the  north  side  of  the  house 
and  in  the  shade  !  Where  is  the  sense  of  propriety  that 
once  belonged  to  the  seasons  ?  This  is  flat  communism, 
January  insisting  on  going  halves  with  May.  News  I 
have  none,  nor  of  her  resources,  as  you  see,  save  those 
of  the  special  correspondexit,  who  takes  to  description 
when  events  fail.     Yes,  I  have  one  event,  I  dine  to-night 


LETTER  WRITING  283 

with  Mr.  R.  C.  Winthrop,  who  remembers  your  father 
very  well  nearly  sixty  years  ago. 

I  have  all  my  grandchildren  with  me,  five  of  them,  and 
the  eldest  boy  is  already  conspiring  with  a  beard  !  It  is 
awful,  this  stealthy  advance  of  Time's  insupportable  foot. 
Here  are  two  ponies  for  the  children,  and  two  dogs,  bull- 
terriers,  and  most  amiable  creatures.  This  is  my  estab- 
lishment, and  four  of  the  weans  have  had  the  grippe.  I 
remember  it  here  in  '31,  I  think  it  was.  You  see  I  make 
all  I  can  of  age's  one  privilege  —  that  of  Jiaving  a  drearier 
memory  than  other  folks. 

I  forgot  one  thing.  There  are  plenty  of  mice  in  the 
walls,  and,  now  that  I  can't  go  to  the  play  with  you,  I 
assist  at  their  little  tragedies  and  comedies  behind  the 
wainscot  in  the  night  hours  and  build  up  plots  in  my 
fancy.  'Tis  a  French  company,  for  I  hear  them  dis- 
tinctly say  wee,  wee,  sometimes.  My  life,  you  see,  is  not 
without  its  excitements,  and  what  are  your  London  mice 
doing  that  is  more  important  ?  I  see  you  are  to  have  a 
Parnell  scandal  at  last,  but  I  overheard  an  elopement  the 
other  night  behind  the  wainscot,  and  the  solicitors  talking 
it  over  with  desolated  husband  afterwards.  It  was  very 
exciting.     Ten  thousand  grains  of  corn  damages  ! 

Good-by,  and  take  care  of  yourselves  till  I  come  with 
the  daffodils.  I  wish  you  both  a  happy  New  Year  and  a 
share  for  me  in  some  of  them.  Poets  seem  to  live  long 
nowadays,  and  I,  too,  live  in  Arcadia  after  my  own  fashion. 

Affectionately, 

J.  R.  L. 

Robert  Louis  Stevenson  was  born  in  Scotland^ 
but  after  he  became  a  man  he  was  not  able  to  live 
there  during  the  winter,  because  the  severe  cli- 
mate was  too  harsh  for  his  weak  lungs.    After  long 


284  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

seeking  he  found  that  the  islands  of  the  Pacific  were 
best  suited  to  him ;  and  so  he  settled  down  at 
Samoa,  half  the  circle  of  the  globe  from  his  old 
home.  From  this  distant  spot  he  wrote  frequently 
to  Alison  Cunningham,  who  had  been  his  tender 
nurse  through  childhood  and  boyhood.  The  letter 
below  was  written  just  a  year  before  he  died. 

Vailima, 

December  5, 1893. 

My  dearest  Cummy  :  — 

This  goes  to  you  with  a  Merry 
Christmas  and  a  Happy  New  Year.  The  Happy  New 
Year  anyway,  for  I  think  it  should  reach  you  about  Noor's 
Day,  I  dare  say  it  may  be  cold  and  frosty.  Do  you  re- 
member when  you  used  to  take  me  out  of  bed  in  the  early 
morning,  carry  me  to  the  back  windows,  show  me  the  hills 
of  Fife,  and  quote  to  me 

A'  the  hills  are  covered  with  snaw, 
An'  winter's  noo  come  fairly  ? 

There  is  not  much  chance  of  that  here !  I  wonder  how 
my  mother  is  going  to  stand  the  winter.  If  she  can,  it 
will  be  a  very  good  thing  for  her.  We  are  in  that  part 
of  the  year  which  I  like  best  —  the  Eainy  or  Hurricane 
Season.  "  When  it  is  good,  it  is  very,  very  good ;  and 
when  it  is  bad,  it  is  horrid,"  and  our  fine  days  are  cer- 
tainly fine  like  heaven ;  such  a  blue  of  the  sea,  such  green 
of  the  trees,  and  such  crimson  of  the  hibiscus  flowers,  you 
never  saw;  and  the  air  as  mild  and  gentle  as  a  baby's 
breath,  and  yet  not  hot ! 

The  mail  is  on  the  move,  and  I  must  let  up.     With 
much  love,  I  am,  your  laddie, 

E.  L.  S. 


LETTER  WRITING  285 

Exercise. 

Write  the  letter  you  think  Ben  Jonson  wrote 
from  ^^fifteen  miles  from  anywhere  "  to  Jack  Hav- 
ergail. 

The  letters  below  are  upon  matters  of  business. 
They  will  serve  as  examples  of  the  qualities  which 
should  characterize  such  letters. 

Rome,  N.  Y., 
Dec.  23y  1901. 

Hill,  Clark  and  Co., 

Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Dear  Sirs  :  — 

The  machines  which  I  ordered  a  week  ago 
have  arrived  promptly  and  in  good  condition.  They  ful- 
fil all  the  specifications. 

Please  find  enclosed  a  New  York  draft  for  two  hun- 
dred dollars  in  full  payment  of  the  bill,  for  which  send 
me  a  receipt. 

Respectfully  yours, 

Frank  Redway. 

Madison,  Va., 

Jan.  2, 1902. 

Mr.  J.  B.  GiLLAM, 

Clerk  of  the  Board  of  Education, 
Altoona,  Iowa. 
Dear  Sir  :  — 

I  have  just  learned  through  Mr.  Jones  that 
there  is  to  be  a  vacancy  in  your  schools  the  coming  year. 
I  wish  to  be  considered  an  applicant  for  the  position. 

I  have  completed  courses  in  both  high  school  and  col- 
lege, graduating  two  years  ago  from  William  and  Mary's 
College.     While  there  I  took  special  courses  in  mathe- 


286  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

matics  and  physics,  and  believe  that  I  am  entirely  quali- 
fied for  the  work  in  your  schools.  Of  the  teaching  I  have 
done  and  my  success,  I  prefer  that  others  should  speak. 
I  send  you  some  letters  from  gentlemen  who  are  acquainted 
with  my  work ;  and  I  confidently  refer  you  to  Mr.  James 
E.  Tarbell,  Mr.  Clark  Wright,  and  Mr.  Alfred  W.  Jen- 
sen, all  of  Petersburg,  Va. 

Hoping  that  I  may  hear  from  you  as  soon  as  you  have 
reached  a  decision,  I  remain 

Yours  respectfully, 

Harvey  Jones. 

627  Washington  Street, 
Birmingham,  Ga., 

July  17  y  1899. 

Mr.  George  E.  Walters, 
17  Superior  Ave., 
City. 
Dear  Sir  :  — 

Some  weeks  ago  you  were  in  our  office  asking 
for  a  position  as  office  boy.  Will  you  write  us  an  appli- 
cation for  the  place  which  we  may  place  on  file.  There 
is  reason  to  think  that  we  shall  need  a  good  boy  within  a 
few  days,  and  an  application  in  writing  is  of  assistance  in 
selecting. 

Yours  respectfully, 

Smith,  Andrews  and  Co., 
per  A.  J.  B. 

Philadelphia,  Pa., 
March  7, 1901. 

Mr.  C.  M.  Lansing, 
San  Francisco,  Cal. 
Dear  Sir:  — 

This  letter  will  introduce  to  you  Mr.  Herbert 
Johnson,  whom  I  have  known  intimately  for  a  number  of 


LETTER  WRITING  287 

years.  For  the  last  ten  years  he  has  been  in  our  employ, 
and  has  been  successively  advanced  until  he  became 
cashier  of  our  banking  house.  Just  recently  he  has  been 
warned  by  ill  health  that  he  must  change  his  residence, 
and  he  is  seeking  a  new  position  in  the  milder  climate  of 
California.  If  you  can  make  him  acquainted  with  some 
of  the  prominent  business  men  in  the  state,  I  am  sure 
that  he  will  have  no  trouble  in  finding  employment.  By 
doing  this  for  my  friend,  you  will  be  renewing  my  obliga- 
tion to  you.     I  remain 

Yours  very  truly, 

John  C.  Patterson, 
Pres't  Merchants  National  Bank. 

Exercises. 

1.  Write  the  letter  that  you  think  George  E. 
Walters  wrote  in  reply  to  the  request  of  Smith, 
Andrews  and  Co. 

2.  Write  a  letter  of  recommendation  for  an  em- 
ployee whom  you  have  been  compelled  to  discharge 
because  your  business  has  decreased. 

3.  Write  a  letter  to  the  Pillsbury- Washburn  Co., 
Minneapolis,  Minn.,  ordering  a  carload  of  flour  to 
be  shipped  to  you  by  fast  freight.  Specify  over 
which  line  of  railroad  you  wish  it  to  come. 

4.  Write  an  answer  to  the  following  advertise- 
ment, taken  from  the  Record-Herald  :  — 

Wanted  —  A  young  man  for  shipping  clerk.  Must  be  a 
good  penman,  and  quick  and  accurate  at  figures.  Good 
salary  paid  to  the  right  man.  Address  J  2  c/o  Record- 
Herald. 


288  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

5.  Write  the  letter  which  Hill,  Clark  and  Co. 
sent  to  Frank  Eedway,  acknowledging  the  receipt 
of  the  money. 

6.  Write  Mr.  Gillam's  answer  to  Harvey  Jones. 

7.  Write  a  letter  of  introduction.  The  person 
introduced  has  capital  to  invest,  and  is  looking  for 
a  place  where  he  will  receive  good  returns  for  his 
money. 

SOCIETY  NOTES. 

All  invitations  and  acceptances  follow  closely 
certain  forms.  Whether  to  dinner,  to  a  dance,  or 
to  a  reception,  the  form  is  nearly  the  same ;  the 
only  modification  being  that  it  is  necessary  to  in- 
form the  person  to  whom  the  note  is  sent  what  he 
is  invited  to.  The  notes  below  give  a  fair  idea  of 
formal  and  informal  society  notes. 

Miss  Nellie  Bly 

requests  the  pleasure  of 

Mr.  Frank  Sperry's  company 

at  dinner  on  Tuesday  evening, 

November  twenty-second, 

at  seven  o'clock. 

627  Linden  Avenue. 

Miss  Nellie  Bly 

requests  the  pleasure  of   your  company 

at  dinner  on  Tuesday  evening, 

November  twenty-second, 

at  seven  o'clock. 

627  Linden  Avenue. 


LETTER  WRITING  289 

627  Linden  Avenue, 
November  17,  1902. 

My  dear  Mr.  Sperry  :  — 

Will  you  give  us  the  pleasure  of  your  com- 
pany at  dinner  on  Tuesday  evening,  the  twenty-second,  at 
seven  o'clock  ? 

Sincerely  yours, 

Nellie  Bly. 

1492  Columbia  Heights, 

November  eighteenth. 
Mr.  Frank  Sperry  accepts  with  pleasure  Miss  Nellie 
Ely's  invitation  to  dinner  on  Tuesday  evening,  November 
twenty-second,  at  seven  o'clock. 

Mr.  Frank  Sperry  regrets  that  absence  from  town  pre- 
vents his  acceptance  of  Miss  Nellie  Ely's  kind  invitation 
to  dinner  on  Tuesday  evening,  November  twenty-second, 
at  seven  o'clock. 

1492  Columbia  Heights, 

Nov.  ISth,  1902. 


1492  Columbia  Heights, 

November  18,  1902. 


My  dear  Miss  Ely  :  — 


I  regret  exceedingly  that  I  cannot 
accept  your  kind  invitation  to  dinner  on  Tuesday  evening. 
I  have  just  received  word  that  compels  me  to  leave  town 
to-night  to  be  absent  for  a  month. 

Eelieve  me,  sincerely  yours, 
Frank  Sperry. 

Exercises. 

1.  Tour  class  in  school  is  to  give  a  reception 
and  an  exhibition  of  the  school  work  in  drawing 


290  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

and  modeling.     Write  a  note  of  invitation  to  your 
teacher. 

2.  Write  the  teacher's  reply,  both  formally  and 
informally. 

3.  Write  an  informal  invitation  to  a  friend  of 
yours  to  a  little  party  at  your  home. 

4.  The  recipient  of  the  invitation  declines  to 
come.  There  is  serious  illness  at  home.  Write 
the  note. 

5.  Write  an  informal  note  inviting  the  Cratchits 
to  a  picnic  on  the  Thames. 

6.  Three  of  the  Cratchits  could  go;  but  one 
had  to  stay  at  home,  for  Tiny  Tim  had  been  grow- 
ing worse  and  needed  some  one  to  stay  with  him. 
Write  what  Mrs.  Cratchit  wrote  to  you. 

7.  Your  mother  is  to  give  a  large  dinner  party, 
and  has  asked  you  to  write  formal  invitations  to  it. 
Make  a  copy  of  one  you  have  planned  to  send. 

8.  Write  an  acceptance  of  the  invitation.  It 
should  be  formal. 

9.  Write  a  note  regretting  that  the  invitation 
cannot  be  accepted. 

MEMORIZE. 

Breathes  there  the  man,  with  soul  so  dead, 
Who  never  to  himself  hath  said, 
This  is  my  own,  my  native  land ! 
Whose  heart  hath  ne'er  within  him  burn'd 
As  home  his  footsteps  he  hath  turn'd 
From  wandering  on  a  foreign  strand  ? 
If  such  there  breathe,  go,  mark  him  well, 
For  him  no  minstrel  raptures  swell ; 


LETTER   WRITING  291 

High  though  his  titles,  proud  his  name, 
Boundless  his  wealth  as  wish  can  claim,  — 
Despite  those  titles,  power,  and  pelf. 
The  wretch,  concentred  all  in  self, 
Living,  shall  forfeit  fair  renown. 
And,  doubly  dying,  shall  go  down 
To  the  vile  dust  from  whence  he  sprung, 
Unwept,  unhonor'd,  and  unsung. 

Scott,  from  The  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel 


THE  GREAT  STONE  FACE. 

1.  One  afternoon,  when  the  sun  was  going  down,  a  mo- 
ther and  her  little  boy  sat  at  the  door  of  their  cottage, 
talking  about  the  Great  Stone  Face.  They  had  but  to 
lift  their  eyes,  and  there  it  was  plainly  to  be  seen,  though 
miles  away,  with  the  sunshine  brightening  all  its  features. 

2.  And  what  was  the  Great  Stone  Face  ? 

3.  Embosomed  amongst  a  family  of  lofty  mountains, 
there  was  a  valley  so  spacious  that  it  contained  many  thou- 
sand inhabitants.  Some  of  these  good  people  dwelt  in 
log-huts,  with  the  black  forest  all  around  them,  on  the  steep 
and  difficult  hill-sides.  Others  had  their  homes  in  com- 
fortable farm-houses,  and  cultivated  the  rich  soil  on  the 
gentle  slopes  or  level  surfaces  of  the  valley.  Others, 
again,  were  congregated  into  populous  villages,  where 
some  wild,  highland  rivulet,  tumbling  down  from  its  birth- 
place in  the  upper  mountain  region,  had  been  caught  and 
tamed  by  human  cunning,  and  compelled  to  turn  the  ma- 
chinery of  cotton-factories.  The  inhabitants  of  this  valley, 
in  short,  were  numerous,  and  of  many  modes  of  life.  But 
all  of  them,  grown  people  and  children,  had  a  kind  of 
familiarity  with  the  Great  Stone  Face,  although  some  pos- 
sessed the  gift  of  distinguishing  this  grand  natural  phe- 
nomenon more  perfectly  than  many  of  their  neighbors. 

4.  The  Great  Stone  Face,  then,  was  a  work  of  Nature 
in  her  mood  of  majestic  playfulness,  formed  on  the  per- 
pendicular side  of  a  mountain  by  some  immense  rocks, 
which  had  been  thrown  together  in  such  a  position  as, 
when  viewed  at  a  proper  distance,  precisely  to  resemble 


THE  GREAT  STONE  FACE  293 

the  features  of  the  human  countenance.  It  seemed  as  if 
an  enormous  giant,  or  a  Titan,  had  sculptured  his  own 
likeness  on  the  precipice.  There  was  the  broad  arch  of 
the  forehead,  a  hundred  feet  in  height ;  the  nose,  with  its 
long  bridge ;  and  the  vast  lips,  which,  if  they  could  have 
spoken,  would  have  rolled  their  thunder  accents  from  one 
end  of  the  valley  to  the  other.  True  it  is,  that  if  the 
spectator  approached  too  near,  he  lost  the  outline  of  the 
gigantic  visage,  and  could  discern  only  a  heap  of  ponder- 
ous and  gigantic  rocks,  piled  in  chaotic  ruin  one  upon 
another.  Retracing  his  steps,  however,  the  wondrous  fea- 
tures would  again  be  seen ;  and  the  farther  he  withdrew 
from  them,  the  more  like  a  human  face,  with  all  its  origi- 
nal divinity  intact,  did  they  appear ;  until,  as  it  grew  dim 
in  the  distance,  with  the  clouds  and  glorified  vapor  of 
the  mountains  clustering  about  it,  the  Great  Stone  Face 
seemed  positively  to  be  alive. 

5.  It  was  a  happy  lot  for  children  to  grow  up  to  man- 
hood or  womanhood  with  the  Great  Stone  Face  before 
their  eyes,  for  all  the  features  were  noble,  and  the  ex- 
pression was  at  once  grand  and  sweet,  as  if  it  were  the 
glow  of  a  vast,  warm  heart,  that  embraced  all  mankind  in 
its  affections,  and  had  room  for  more.  It  was  an  educa- 
tion only  to  look  at  it.  According  to  the  belief  of  many 
people,  the  valley  owed  much  of  its  fertility  to  this  benign 
aspect  that  was  continually  beaming  over  it,  illuminating 
the  clouds,  and  infusing  its  tenderness  into  the  sun- 
shine. 

6.  As  we  began  with  saying,  a  mother  and  her  little  boy 
sat  at  their  cottage-door,  gazing  at  the  Great  Stone  Face, 
and  talking  about  it.     The  child's  name  was  Ernest. 

7.  "  Mother,"  said  he,  while  the  Titanic  visage  smiled 
on  him,  "  I  wish  that  it  could  speak,  for  it  looks  so 
very  kindly  that  its  voice  must  needs  be  pleasant.     If  I 


294  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

were  to  see  a  man  with  such  a  face,  I  should  love  him 
dearly." 

8.  "  If  an  old  prophecy  should  come  to  pass,"  answered 
his  mother,  "  we  may  see  a  man,  some  time  or  other,  with 
exactly  such  a  face  as  that." 

9.  "  What  prophecy  do  you  mean,  dear  mother  ? " 
eagerly  inquired  Ernest.     "  Pray  tell  me  all  about  it !  " 

10.  So  his  mother  told  him  a  story  that  her  own  mother 
had  told  to  her,  when  she  herself  was  younger  than  little 
Ernest ;  a  story,  not  of  things  that  were  past,  but  of  what 
was  yet  to  come ;  a  story,  nevertheless,  so  very  old,  that 
even  the  Indians,  who  formerly  inhabited  this  valley,  had 
heard  it  from  their  forefathers,  to  whom,  as  they  affirmed, 
it  had  been  murmured  by  the  mountain  streams,  and  whis- 
pered by  the  wind  among  the  tree-tops.  The  purport  was, 
that,  at  some  future  day,  a  child  should  be  born  here- 
abouts, who  was  destined  to  become  the  greatest  and 
noblest  personage  of  his  time,  and  whose  countenance,  in 
manhood,  should  bear  an  exact  resemblance  to  the  Great 
Stone  Face.  Not  a  few  old-fashioned  people,  and  young 
ones  likewise,  in  the  ardor  of  their  hopes,  still  cherished 
an  enduring  faith  in  this  old  prophecy.  But  others,  who 
had  seen  more  of  the  world,  had  watched  and  waited  till 
they  were  weary,  and  had  beheld  no  man  with  such  a  face, 
nor  any  man  that  proved  to  be  much  greater  or  nobler 
than  his  neighbors,  concluded  it  to  be  nothing  but  an  idle 
tale.  At  all  events,  the  great  man  of  the  prophecy  had 
not  yet  appeared. 

11.  "  O  mother,  dear  mother  !  "  cried  Ernest,  clapping 
his  hands  above  his  head,  "  I  do  hope  that  I  shall  live 
to  see  him  !  " 

12.  His  mother  was  an  affectionate  and  thoughtful  wo- 
man, and  felt  that  it  was  wisest  not  to  discourage  the  gen- 
erous hopes  of  her  little  boy.  So  she  only  said  to  him, 
"  Perhaps  you  may." 


THE  GREAT  STONE  FACE  295 

13.  And  Ernest  never  forgot  the  story  that  his  mother 
told  him.  It  was  always  in  his  mind,  whenever  he  looked 
upon  the  Great  Stone  Face.  He  spent  his  childhood  in 
the  log-cottage  where  he  was  born,  and  was  dutiful  to  his 
mother,  and  helpful  to  her  in  many  things,  assisting  her 
much  with  his  little  hands,  and  more  with  his  loving 
heart.  In  this  manner,  from  a  happy  yet  often  pensive 
child,  he  grew  up  to  be  a  mild,  quiet,  unobtrusive  boy, 
and  sun-browned  with  labor  in  the  fields,  but  with  more 
intelligence  brightening  his  aspect  than  is  seen  in  many 
lads  who  have  been  taught  at  famous  schools.  Yet  Ernest 
had  had  no  teacher,  save  only  that  the  Great  Stone  Face 
became  one  to  him.  When  the  toil  of  the  day  was  over, 
he  would  gaze  at  it  for  hours,  until  he  began  to  imagine 
that  those  vast  features  recognized  him,  and  gave  him  a 
smile  of  kindness  and  encouragement,  responsive  to  his 
own  look  of  veneration.  We  must  not  take  upon  us  to 
affirm  that  this  was  a  mistake,  although  the  Face  may 
have  looked  no  more  kindly  at  Ernest  than  at  all  the  world 
besides.  But  the  secret  was  that  the  boy's  tender  and  con- 
fiding simplicity  discerned  what  other  people  could  not 
see  ;  and  thus  the  love,  which  was  meant  for  all,  became 
his  peculiar  portion. 

14.  About  this  time  there  went  a  rumor  throughout  the 
valley,  that  the  great  man,  foretold  from  ages  long  ago, 
who  was  to  bear  a  resemblance  to  the  Great  Stone  Face, 
had  appeared  at  last.  It  seems  that,  many  years  before, 
a  young  man  had  migrated  from  the  valley  and  settled  at 
a  distant  seaport,  where,  after  getting  together  a  little 
money,  he  had  set  up  as  a  shopkeeper.  His  name  —  but 
I  could  never  learn  whether  it  was  his  real  one,  or  a  nick- 
name that  had  grown  out  of  his  habits  and  success  in  life 
—  was  Gathergold.  Being  shrewd  and  active,  and  en- 
dowed by  Providence  with  that  inscrutable  faculty  which 


296  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

develops  itself  in  what  the  world  calls  luck,  he  became  an 
exceedingly  rich  merchant,  and  owner  of  a  whole  fleet  of 
bulky-bottomed  ships.  All  the  countries  of  the  globe  ap- 
peared to  join  hands  for  the  mere  purpose  of  adding  heap 
after  heap  to  the  mountainous  accumulation  of  this  one 
man's  wealth.  The  cold  regions  of  the  north,  almost 
within  the  gloom  and  shadow  of  the  Arctic  Circle,  sent 
him  their  tribute  in  the  shape  of  furs  ;  hot  Africa  sifted 
for  him  the  golden  sands  of  her  rivers,  and  gathered  up 
the  ivory  tusks  of  her  great  elephants  out  of  the  forests ; 
the  East  came  bringing  him  the  rich  shawls,  and  spices, 
and  teas,  and  the  effulgence  of  diamonds,  and  the  gleam- 
ing purity  of  large  pearls.  The  ocean,  not  to  be  behind- 
hand with  the  earth,  yielded  up  her  mighty  whales,  that 
Mr.  Gathergold  might  sell  their  oil,  and  make  a  profit  on 
it.  Be  the  original  commodity  what  it  might,  it  was  gold 
within  his  grasp.  It  might  be  said  of  him,  as  of  Midas 
in  the  fable,  that  whatever  he  touched  with  his  finger  im- 
mediately glistened,  and  grew  yellow,  and  was  changed  at 
once  into  sterling  metal,  or,  which  suited  him  still  better, 
into  piles  of  coin.  And,  when  Mr.  Gathergold  had  be- 
come 80  very  rich  that  it  would  have  taken  him  a  hundred 
years  only  to  count  his  wealth,  he  bethought  himself  of 
his  native  valley,  and  resolved  to  go  back  thither,  and  end 
his  days  where  he  was  born.  With  this  purpose  in  view, 
he  sent  a  skilful  architect  to  build  him  such  a  palace  as 
should  be  fit  for  a  man  of  his  vast  wealth  to  live  in. 

15.  As  I  have  said  above,  it  had  already  been  rumored 
in  the  valley  that  Mr.  Gathergold  had  turned  out  to  be 
the  prophetic  personage  so  long  and  vainly  looked  for,  and 
that  his  visage  was  the  perfect  and  undeniable  similitude 
of  the  Great  Stone  Face.  People  were  the  more  ready  to 
believe  that  this  must  needs  be  the  fact,  when  they  beheld 
the  splendid  edifice  that  rose,  as  if  by  enchantment,  on  the 


THE  GREAT  STONE  FACE  297 

site  of  his  father's  old  weather-beaten  farm-house.  The 
exterior  was  of  marble,  so  dazzlingly  white  that  it  seemed 
as  though  the  whole  structure  might  melt  away  in  the 
sunshine,  like  those  humbler  ones  which  Mr.  Gathergold, 
in  his  young  play-days,  before  his  fingers  were  gifted  with 
the  touch  of  transmutation,  had  been  accustomed  to  build 
of  snow.  It  had  a  richly  ornamented  portico,  supported 
by  tall  pillars,  beneath  which  was  a  lofty  door,  studded 
with  silver  knobs,  and  made  of  a  kind  of  variegated  wood 
that  had  been  brought  from  beyond  the  sea.  The  win- 
dows, from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling  of  each  stately  apart- 
ment, were  composed,  respectively,  of  but  one  enormous 
pane  of  glass,  so  transparently  pure  that  it  was  said  to  be 
a  finer  medium  than  even  the  vacant  atmosphere.  Hardly 
anybody  had  been  permitted  to  see  the  interior  of  this 
palace ;  but  it  was  reported,  and  with  good  semblance  of 
truth,  to  be  far  more  gorgeous  than  the  outside,  insomuch 
that  whatever  was  iron  or  brass  in  other  houses  was  silver 
or  gold  in  this ;  and  Mr.  Gathergold's  bedchamber,  espe- 
cially, made  such  a  glittering  appearance  that  no  ordinary 
man  would  have  been  able  to  close  his  eyes  there.  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  Mr.  Gathergold  was  now  so  inured  to 
wealth,  that  perhaps  he  could  not  have  closed  his  eyes 
unless  where  the  gleam  of  it  was  certain  to  find  its  way 
beneath  his  eyelids. 

16.  In  due  time,  the  mansion  was  finished  ;  next  came 
the  upholsterers,  with  magnificent  furniture  ;  then,  a  whole 
troop  of  black  and  white  servants,  the  harbingers  of  Mr. 
Gathergold,  who,  in  his  own  majestic  person,  was  expected 
to  arrive  at  sunset.  Our  friend  Ernest,  meanwhile,  had 
been  deeply  stirred  by  the  idea  that  the  great  man,  the 
noble  man,  the  man  of  prophecy,  after  so  many  ages  of 
delay,  was  at  length  to  be  made  manifest  to  his  native 
valley.     He  knew,  boy  as  he  was,  that  there  were  a  thou- 


298  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

sand  ways  in  which  Mr.  Gathergold,  with  his  vast  wealth, 
might  transform  himself  into  an  angel  of  beneficence,  and 
assume  a  control  over  human  aifairs  as  wide  and  benignant 
as  the  smile  of  the  Great  Stone  Face.  Full  of  faith  and 
hope,  Ernest  doubted  not  that  what  the  people  said  was  true, 
and  that  now  he  was  to  behold  the  living  likeness  of  those 
wondrous  features  on  the  mountain-side.  While  the  boy 
was  still  gazing  up  the  valley,  and  fancying,  as  he  always 
did,  that  the  Great  Stone  Face  returned  his  gaze  and 
looked  kindly  at  him,  the  rumbling  of  wheels  was  heard, 
approaching  swiftly  along  the  winding  road. 

17.  "  Here  he  comes  !  "  cried  a  group  of  people  who 
were  assembled  to  witness  the  arrival.  "  Here  comes  the 
great  Mr.  Gathergold !  " 

18.  A  carriage,  drawn  by  four  horses,  dashed  round  the 
turn  of  the  road.  Within  it,  thrust  partly  out  of  the 
window,  appeared  the  physiognomy  of  the  old  man,  with  a 
skin  as  yellow  as  if  his  own  Midas-hand  had  transmuted 
it.  He  had  a  low  forehead,  small,  sharp  eyes,  puckered 
about  with  innumerable  wrinkles,  and  very  thin  lips, 
which  he  made  still  thinner  by  pressing  them  forcibly 
together. 

19.  "  The  very  image  of  the  Great  Stone  Face ! "  shouted 
the  people.  "  Sure  enough,  the  old  prophecy  is  true ;  and 
here  we  have  the  great  man  come,  at  last ! " 

20.  And,  what  greatly  perplexed  Ernest,  they  seemed 
actually  to  believe  that  here  was  the  likeness  which  they 
spoke  of.  By  the  roadside  there  chanced  to  be  an  old 
beggar-woman  and  two  little  beggar-children,  stragglers 
from  some  far-off  region,  who,  as  the  carriage  rolled  on- 
ward, held  out  their  hands  and  lifted  up  their  doleful 
voices,  most  piteously  beseeching  charity.     A  yellow  claw 

—  the  very  same  that  had  clawed  together  so  much  wealth 

—  poked  itself  out  of  the  coach-window,  and  dropt  some 


THE  GREAT  STONE  FACE  299 

copper  coins  upon  the  ground ;  so  that,  though  the  great 
man's  name  seems  to  have  been  Gathergold,  he  might  just 
as  suitably  have  been  nicknamed  Scattercopper.  Still, 
nevertheless,  with  an  earnest  shout,  and  evidently  with  as 
much  good  faith  as  ever,  the  people  bellowed,  — 

21.  "  He  is  the  very  image  of  the  Great  Stone  Face !  " 

22.  But  Ernest  turned  sadly  from  the  wrinkled  shrewd- 
ness of  that  sordid  visage,  and  gazed  up  the  valley,  where, 
amid  a  gathering  mist,  gilded  by  the  last  sunbeams,  he 
could  still  distinguish  those  glorious  features  which  had 
impressed  themselves  into  his  soul.  Their  aspect  cheered 
him.     What  did  the  benign  lips  seem  to  say  ? 

23.  "  He  will  come !  Fear  not,  Ernest ;  the  man  will 
come ! " 

24.  The  years  went  on,  and  Ernest  ceased  to  be  a  boy. 
He  had  grown  to  be  a  young  man  now.  He  attracted 
little  notice  from  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  valley ;  for 
they  saw  nothing  remarkable  in  his  way  of  life,  save  that, 
when  the  labor  of  the  day  was  over,  he  still  loved  to  go 
apart  and  gaze  and  meditate  upon  the  Great  Stone  Face. 
According  to  their  idea  of  the  matter,  it  was  a  folly,  in- 
deed, but  pardonable,  inasmuch  as  Ernest  was  industrious, 
kind,  and  neighborly,  and  neglected  no  duty  for  the  sake 
of  indulging  this  idle  habit.  They  knew  not  that  the 
Great  Stone  Face  had  become  a  teacher  to  him,  and  that 
the  sentiment  which  was  expressed  in  it  would  enlarge  the 
young  man's  heart,  and  fill  it  with  wider  and  deeper  sym- 
pathies than  other  hearts.  They  knew  not  that  thence 
would  come  a  better  wisdom  than  could  be  learned  from 
books,  and  a  better  life  than  could  be  moulded  on  the  de- 
faced example  of  other  human  lives.  Neither  did  Ernest 
know  that  the  thoughts  and  affections  which  came  to  him 
so  naturally,  in  the  fields  and  at  the  fireside,  and  wherever 
he  communed  with  himself,  were  of  a  higher  tone  than 


300  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

those  which  all  men  shared  with  him.  A  simple  soul,  — 
simple  as  when  his  mother  first  taught  him  the  old  pro- 
phecy,—  he  beheld  the  marvellous  features  beaming  adown 
the  valley,  and  still  wondered  that  their  human  counter- 
part was  so  long  in  making  his  appearance. 

25.  By  this  time  poor  Mr.  Gathergold  was  dead  and 
buried ;  and  the  oddest  part  of  the  matter  was,  that  his 
wealth,  which  was  the  body  and  spirit  of  his  existence, 
had  disappeared  before  his  death,  leaving  nothing  of  him 
but  a  living  skeleton,  covered  over  with  a  wrinkled,  yel- 
low skin.  Since  the  melting  away  of  his  gold,  it  had  been 
very  generally  conceded  that  there  was  no  such  striking 
resemblance,  after  all,  betwixt  the  ignoble  features  of  the 
ruined  merchant  and  that  majestic  face  upon  the  mountain- 
side. So  the  people  ceased  to  honor  him  during  his  life- 
time, and  quietly  consigned  him  to  forgetfulness  after  his 
decease.  Once  in  a  while,  it  is  true,  his  memory  was 
brought  up  in  connection  with  the  magnificent  palace 
which  he  had  built,  and  which  had  long  ago  been  turned 
into  a  hotel  for  the  accommodation  of  strangers,  multi- 
tudes of  whom  came,  every  summer,  to  visit  that  famous 
natural  curiosity,  the  Great  Stone  Face.  Thus,  Mr.  Gath- 
ergold being  discredited  and  thrown  into  the  shade,  the  man 
of  prophecy  was  yet  to  come. 

26.  It  so  happened  that  a  native-born  son  of  the  valley, 
many  years  before,  had  enlisted  as  a  soldier,  and,  after  a 
great  deal  of  hard  fighting,  had  now  become  an  illustrious 
commander.  Whatever  he  may  be  called  in  history,  he 
was  known  in  camps  and  on  the  battle-field  under  the 
nickname  of  Old  Blood-and-Thunder.  This  war-worn 
veteran,  being  now  infirm  with  age  and  wounds,  and 
weary  of  the  turmoil  of  a  military  life,  and  of  the  roll  of 
the  drum  and  the  clangor  of  the  trumpet,  that  had  so  long 
been  ringing  in  his  ears,  had  lately  signified  a  purpose 


THE  GREAT  STONE   FACE  301 

of  returning  to  his  native  valley,  hoping  to  find  repose 
where  he  remembered  to  have  left  it.  The  inhabitants, 
his  old  neighbors  and  their  grown-up  children,  were  re- 
solved to  welcome  the  renowned  warrior  with  a  salute 
of  cannon  and  a  public  dinner ;  and  all  the  more  enthusi- 
astically, it  being  affirmed  that  now,  at  last,  the  likeness 
of  the  Great  Stone  Face  had  actually  appeared.  An  aid- 
de-camp  of  Old  Blood-and-Thunder,  travelling  through 
the  valley,  was  said  to  have  been  struck  with  the  resem- 
blance. Moreover  the  schoolmates  and  early  acquaint- 
ances of  the  general  were  ready  to  testify,  on  oath,  that, 
to  the  best  of  their  recollection,  the  aforesaid  general  had 
been  exceedingly  like  the  majestic  image,  even  when  a 
boy,  only  that  the  idea  had  never  occurred  to  them  at  that 
period.  Great,  therefore,  was  the  excitement  throughout 
the  valley ;  and  many  people,  who  had  never  once  thought 
of  glancing  at  the  Great  Stone  Face  for  years  before,  now 
spent  their  time  in  gazing  at  it,  for  the  sake  of  knowing 
exactly  how  General  Blood-and-Thunder  looked. 

27.  On  the  day  of  the  great  festival,  Ernest,  with  all 
the  other  people  of  the  valley,  left  their  work,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  the  spot  where  the  sylvan  banquet  was  prepared. 
As  he  approached,  the  loud  voice  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Battle- 
blast  was  heard,  beseeching  a  blessing  on  the  good  things 
set  before  them,  and  on  the  distinguished  friend  of  peace 
in  whose  honor  they  were  assembled.  The  tables  were 
arranged  in  a  cleared  space  of  the  woods,  shut  in  by  the 
surrounding  trees,  except  where  a  vista  opened  eastward, 
and  afforded  a  distant  view  of  the  Great  Stone  Face. 
Over  the  general's  chair,  which  was  a  relic  from  the  home 
of  Washington,  there  was  an  arch  of  verdant  boughs,  with 
the  laurel  profusely  intermixed,  and  surmounted  by  his 
country's  banner,  beneath  which  he  had  won  his  victories. 
Our  friend  Ernest  raised  himself  on  his  tiptoes,  in  hopes 


302  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

to  get  a  glimpse  of  the  celebrated  guest ;  but  there  was  a 
mighty  crowd  about  the  tables  anxious  to  hear  the  toasts 
and  speeches,  and  to  catch  any  word  that  might  fall  from 
the  general  in  reply;  and  a  volunteer  company,  doing 
duty  as  a  guard,  pricked  ruthlessly  with  their  bayonets 
at  any  particularly  quiet  person  among  the  throng.  So 
Ernest,  being  of  an  unobtrusive  character,  was  thrust 
quite  into  the  background,  where  he  could  see  no  more 
of  Old  Blood -and-Thunder's  physiognomy  than  if  it  had 
been  still  blazing  on  the  battle-field.  To  console  himself, 
he  turned  towards  the  Great  Stone  Face,  which,  like  a 
faithful  and  long-remembered  friend,  looked  back  and 
smiled  upon  him  through  the  vista  of  the  forest.  Mean- 
time, however,  he  could  overhear  the  remarks  of  various 
individuals,  who  were  comparing  the  features  of  the  hero 
with  the  face  on  the  distant  mountain-side. 

28.  "'Tis  the  same  face,  to  a  hair!"  cried  one  man, 
cutting  a  caper  for  joy. 

29.  "  Wonderfully  like,  that 's  a  fact !  "  responded  an- 
other. 

30.  "  Like !  why,  I  call  it  Old  Blood-and-Thunder  him- 
self, in  a  monstrous  looking-glass  !  "  cried  a  third.  "  And 
why  not?  He's  the  greatest  man  of  this  or  any  other 
age,  beyond  a  doubt." 

31.  And  then  all  three  of  the  speakers  gave  a  great 
shout,  which  communicated  electricity  to  the  crowd,  and 
called  forth  a  roar  from  a  thousand  voices,  that  went 
reverberating  for  miles  among  the  mountains,  until  you 
might  have  supposed  that  the  Great  Stone  Face  had 
poured  its  thunder-breath  into  the  cry.  All  these  com- 
ments, and  this  vast  enthusiasm,  served  the  more  to  inter- 
est our  friend ;  nor  did  he  think  of  questioning  that  now, 
at  length,  the  mountain -visage  had  found  its  human  coun- 
terpart.    It  is  true,  Ernest  had  imagined  that  this  long- 


THE  GREAT  STONE  FACE  303 

looked-for  personage  would  appear  in  the  character  of  a 
man  of  peace,  uttering  wisdom,  and  doing  good,  and  mak- 
ing people  happy.  But,  taking  an  habitual  breadth  of 
view,  with  all  his  simplicity,  he  contended  that  Providence 
should  choose  its  own  method  of  blessing  mankind,  and 
could  conceive  that  this  great  end  might  be  effected  even 
by  a  warrior  and  a  bloody  sword,  should  inscrutable  wis- 
dom see  fit  to  order  matters  so. 

32.  "  The  general !  the  general !  "  was  now  the  cry. 
"  Hush !  silence  !  Old  Blood-and-Thunder  's  going  to 
make  a  speech." 

33.  Even  so ;  for,  the  cloth  being  removed,  the  gen- 
eral's health  had  been  drunk,  amid  shouts  of  applause, 
and  he  now  stood  upon  his  feet  to  thank  the  company. 
Ernest  saw  him.  There  he  was,  over  the  shoulders  of  the 
crowd,  from  the  two  glittering  epaulets  and  embroidered 
collar  upward,  beneath  the  arch  of  green  boughs  with  in- 
tertwined laurel,  and  the  banner  drooping  as  if  to  shade 
his  brow !  And  there,  too,  visible  in  the  same  glance, 
through  the  vista  of  the  forest,  appeared  the  Great  Stone 
Face !  And  was  there,  indeed,  such  a  resemblance  as  the 
crowd  had  testified?  Alas,  Ernest  could  not  recognize 
it !  He  beheld  a  war-worn  and  weather-beaten  counte- 
nance, full  of  energy,  and  expressive  of  an  iron  will ;  but 
the  gentle  wisdom,  the  deep,  broad,  tender  sympathies, 
were  altogether  wanting  in  Old  Blood-and-Thunder's  vis- 
age ;  and  even  if  the  Great  Stone  Face  had  assumed  his 
look  of  stern  command,  the  milder  traits  would  still  have 
tempered  it. 

34.  "  This  is  not  the  man  of  prophecy,"  sighed  Ernest 
to  himself,  as  he  made  his  way  out  of  the  throng.  "  And 
must  the  world  wait  longer  yet  ?  " 

35.  The  mists  had  congregated  about  the  distant  moun- 
tain-side, and  there  were  seen  the  grand  and  awful  fea- 


304  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

tures  of  the  Great  Stone  Face,  awful  but  benignant,  as  if 
a  mighty  angel  were  sitting  among  the  hills,  and  enrob- 
ing himself  in  a  cloud-vesture  of  gold  and  purple.  As 
he  looked,  Ernest  could  hardly  believe  but  that  a  smile 
beamed  over  the  whole  visage,  with  a  radiance  still  bright- 
ening, although  without  motion  of  the  lips.  It  was  prob- 
ably the  effect  of  the  western  sunshine,  melting  through 
the  thinly  diffused  vapors  that  had  swept  between  him 
and  the  object  that  he  gazed  at.  But  —  as  it  always  did 
—  the  aspect  of  his  marvellous  friend  made  Ernest  as 
hopeful  as  if  he  had  never  hoped  in  vain. 

36.  "  Fear  not,  Ernest,"  said  his  heart,  even  as  if  the 
Great  Face  were  whispering  him,  —  "  fear  not,  Ernest ; 
he  will  come." 

37.  More  years  sped  swiftly  and  tranquilly  away.  Er- 
nest still  dwelt  in  his  native  valley,  and  was  now  a  man  of 
middle  age.  By  imperceptible  degrees,  he  had  become 
known  among  the  people.  Now,  as  heretofore,  he  labored 
for  his  bread,  and  was  the  same  simple-hearted  man  that 
he  had  always  been.  But  he  had  thought  and  felt  so 
much,  he  had  given  so  many  of  the  best  hours  of  his  life 
to  unworldly  hopes  for  some  great  good  to  mankind,  that  it 
seemed  as  though  he  had  been  talking  with  the  angels, 
and  had  imbibed  a  portion  of  their  wisdom  unawares.  It 
was  visible  in  the  calm  and  well-considered  beneficence  of 
his  daily  life,  the  quiet  stream  of  which  had  made  a  wide 
green  margin  all  along  its  course.  Not  a  day  passed  by, 
that  the  world  was  not  the  better  because  this  man,  humble 
as  he  was,  had  lived.  He  never  stepped  aside  from  his  own 
path,  yet  would  always  reach  a  blessing  to  his  neighbor. 
Almost  involuntarily,  too,  he  had  become  a  preacher. 
The  pure  and  high  simplicity  of  his  thought,  which,  as 
one  of  its  manifestations,  took  shape  in  the  good  deeds 
that  dropped  silently  from  his  hand,  flowed  also  forth  in 


THE  GREAT   STONE  FACE  305 

speech.  He  uttered  truths  that  wrought  upon  and  moulded 
the  lives  of  those  who  heard  him.  His  auditors,  it  may 
be,  never  suspected  that  Ernest,  their  own  neighbor  and 
familiar  friend,  was  more  than  an  ordinary  man ;  least 
of  all  did  Ernest  himself  suspect  it ;  but,  inevitably  as 
the  murmur  of  a  rivulet,  came  thoughts  out  of  his  mouth 
that  no  other  human  lips  had  spoken. 

38.  When  the  people's  minds  had  had  a  little  time  to 
cool,  they  were  ready  enough  to  acknowledge  their  mis- 
take in  imagining  a  similarity  between  General  Blood- 
and-Thunder's  truculent  physiognomy  and  the  benign  vis- 
age on  the  mountain-side.  But  now,  again,  there  were 
reports  and  many  paragraphs  in  the  newspapers,  affirming 
that  the  likeness  of  the  Great  Stone  Face  had  appeared 
upon  the  broad  shoulders  of  a  certain  eminent  statesman. 
He,  like  Mr.  Gathergold  and  Old  Blood-and-Thunder, 
was  a  native  of  the  valley,  but  had  left  it  in  his  early 
days,  and  taken  up  the  trades  of  law  and  politics.  In- 
stead of  the  rich  man's  wealth  and  the  warrior's  sword, 
he  had  but  a  tongue,  and  it  was  mightier  than  both  to- 
gether. So  wonderfully  eloquent  was  he,  that  whatever 
he  might  choose  to  say,  his  auditors  had  no  choice  but  to 
believe  him ;  wrong  looked  like  right,  and  right  like 
wrong ;  for  when  it  pleased  him,  he  could  make  a  kind 
of  illuminated  fog  with  his  mere  breath,  and  obscure 
the  natural  daylight  with  it.  His  tongue,  indeed,  was  a 
magic  instrument :  sometimes  it  rumbled  like  the  thun- 
der ;  sometimes  it  warbled  like  the  sweetest  music.  It 
was  the  blast  of  war,  —  the  song  of  peace  ;  and  it  seemed 
to  have  a  heart  in  it,  when  there  was  no  such  matter.  In 
good  truth,  he  was  a  wondrous  man  ;  and  when  his  tongue 
had  acquired  him  all  other  imaginable  success,  —  when  it 
had  been  heard  in  halls  of  state,  and  in  the  courts  of 
princes  and  potentates,  —  after  it  had  made  him  known 


306  ELEMENTARY   COMPOSITION 

all  over  the  world,  even  as  a  voice  crying  from  shore  to 
shore,  —  it  finally  persuaded  his  countrymen  to  select  him 
for  the  Presidency.  Before  this  time,  —  indeed,  as  soon 
as  he  began  to  grow  celebrated,  —  his  admirers  had  found 
out  the  resemblance  between  him  and  the  Great  Stone 
Face ;  and  so  much  were  they  struck  by  it,  that  through- 
out the  country  this  distinguished  gentleman  was  known 
by  the  name  of  Old  Stony  Phiz.  The  phrase  was  con- 
sidered as  giving  a  highly  favorable  aspect  to  his  politi- 
cal prospects ;  for,  as  is  likewise  the  case  with  the  Pope- 
dom, nobody  ever  becomes  President  without  taking  a 
name  other  than  his  own. 

39.  While  his  friends  were  doing  their  best  to  make 
him  President,  Old  Stony  Phiz,  as  he  was  called,  set  out 
on  a  visit  to  the  valley  where  he  was  born.  Of  course, 
he  had  no  other  object  than  to  shake  hands  with  his  fel- 
low-citizens, and  neither  thought  nor  cared  about  any 
effect  which  his  progress  through  the  country  might  have 
upon  the  election.  Magnificent  preparations  were  made 
to  receive  the  illustrious  statesman ;  a  cavalcade  of  horse- 
men set  forth  to  meet  him  at  the  boundary  line  of  the 
State,  and  all  the  people  left  their  business  and  gathered 
along  the  wayside  to  see  him  pass.  Among  these  was 
Ernest.  Though  more  than  once  disappointed,  as  we  have 
seen,  he  had  such  a  hopeful  and  confiding  nature,  that 
he  was  always  ready  to  believe  in  whatever  seemed  beau- 
tiful and  good.  He  kept  his  heart  continually  open,  and 
thus  was  sure  to  catch  the  blessing  from  on  high  when  it 
should  come.  So  now  again,  as  buoyantly  as  ever,  he 
went  forth  to  behold  the  likeness  of  the  Great  Stone 
Face. 

40.  The  cavalcade  came  prancing  along  the  road,  with 
a  great  clattering  of  hoofs  and  a '  mighty  cloud  of  dust, 
which  rose  up  so  dense  and  high  that  the  visage  of  the 


THE   GREAT  STONE   FACE  307 

mountain-side  was  completely  hidden  from  Ernest's  eyes. 
All  the  great  men  of  the  neighborhood  were  there  on 
horseback ;  militia  officers,  in  uniform ;  the  member  of 
Congress ;  the  sheriff  of  the  county ;  the  editors  of  news- 
papers ;  and  many  a  farmer,  too,  had  mounted  his  patient 
steed,  with  his  Sunday  coat  upon  his  back.  It  really  was 
a  very  brilliant  spectacle,  especially  as  there  were  numer- 
ous banners  flaunting  over  the  cavalcade,  on  some  of  which 
were  gorgeous  portraits  of  the  illustrious  statesman  and 
the  Great  Stone  Face,  smiling  familiarly  at  one  another, 
like  two  brothers.  If  the  pictures  were  to  be  trusted,  the 
mutual  resemblance,  it  must  be  confessed,  was  marvellous. 
We  must  not  forget  to  mention  that  there  was  a  band  of 
music,  which  made  the  echoes  of  the  mountains  ring  and 
reverberate  with  the  loud  triumph  of  its  strains  ;  so  that 
airy  and  soul-thrilling  melodies  broke  out  among  all  the 
heights  and  hollows,  as  if  every  nook  of  his  native  valley 
had  found  a  voice,  to  welcome  the  distinguished  guest. 
But  the  grandest  effect  was  when  the  far-off  mountain 
precipice  flung  back  the  music ;  for  then  the  Great  Stone 
Face  itself  seemed  to  be  swelling  the  triumphant  chorus, 
in  acknowledgment  that,  at  length,  the  man  of  prophecy 
was  come. 

41.  All  this  while  the  people  were  throwing  up  their 
hats  and  shouting,  with  enthusiasm  so  contagious  that  the 
heart  of  Ernest  kindled  up,  and  he  likewise  threw  up  his 
hat,  and  shouted,  as  loudly  as  the  loudest,  "  Huzza  for 
the  great  man  !  Huzza  for  Old  Stony  Phiz !  "  But  as 
yet  he  had  not  seen  him. 

42.  "  Here  he  is,  now !  "  cried  those  who  stood  near 
Ernest.  •  "  There  !  There  !  Look  at  Old  Stony  Phiz  and 
then  at  the  Old  Man  of  the  Mountain,  and  see  if  they 
are  not  as  like  as  two  twin-brothers  I  " 

43.  In  the  midst  of  all  this  gallant  array  came  an  open 


308  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

barouche,  drawn  by  four  white  horses  ;  and  in  the  ba- 
rouche, with  his  massive  head  uncovered,  sat  the  illus- 
trious statesman.  Old  Stony  Phiz  himself. 

44.  "  Confess  it,"  said  one  of  Ernest's  neighbors  to 
him,  "  the  Great  Stone  Face  has  met  its  match  at  last ! " 

45.  Now,  it  must  be  owned  that,  at  his  first  glimpse  of 
the  countenance  which  was  bowing  and  smiling  from  the 
barouche,  Ernest  did  fancy  that  there  was  a  resemblance 
between  it  and  the  old  familiar  face  upon  the  mountain- 
side. The  brow,  with  its  massive  depth  and  loftiness,  and 
all  the  other  features,  indeed,  were  boldly  and  strongly 
hewn,  as  if  in  emulation  of  a  more  than  heroic,  of  a  Ti- 
tanic model.  But  the  sublimity  and  stateliness,  the  grand 
expression  of  a  divine  sympathy,  that  illuminated  the 
mountain  visage  and  etherealized  its  ponderous  granite 
substance  into  spirit,  might  here  be  sought  in  vain.  Some- 
thing had  been  originally  left  out,  or  had  departed.  And 
therefore  the  marvellously  gifted  statesman  had  always  a 
weary  gloom  in  the  deep  caverns  of  his  eyes,  as  of  a  child 
that  has  outgrown  its  playthings  or  a  man  of  mighty 
faculties  and  little  aims,  whose  life,  with  all  its  high  per- 
formances, was  vague  and  empty,  because  no  high  pur- 
pose had  endowed  it  with  reality. 

46.  Still,  Ernest's  neighbor  was  thrusting  his  elbow 
into  his  side,  and  pressing  him  for  an  answer. 

47.  "  Confess !  confess  !  Is  not  he  the  very  picture  of 
your  Old  Man  of  the  Mountain?" 

48.  "No!"  said  Ernest,  bluntly,  "I  see  little  or  no 
likeness." 

49.  "Then  so  much  the  worse  for  the  Great  Stone 
Face ! "  answered  his  neighbor ;  and  again  he  set  up  a 
shout  for  Old  Stony  Phiz. 

50.  But  Ernest  turned  away,  melancholy,  and  almost 
despondent ;  for  this  was  the  saddest  of  his  disappoint- 


THE  GREAT  STONE  FACE  309 

ments,  to  behold  a  man  who  might  have  fulfilled  the  pro- 
phecy, and  had  not  willed  to  do  so.  Meantime,  the  caval- 
cade, the  banners,  the  music,  and  the  barouches  swept 
past  him,  with  the  vociferous  crowd  in  the  rear,  leaving 
the  dust  to  settle  down,  and  the  Great  Stone  Face  to  be 
revealed  again,  with  the  grandeur  that  it  had  worn  for 
untold  centuries. 

51.  "  Lo,  here  I  am,  Ernest !  "  the  benign  lips  seemed 
to  say.  "  I  have  waited  longer  than  thou,  and  am  not  yet 
weary.     Fear  not ;  the  man  will  come." 

52.  The  years  hurried  onward,  treading  in  their  haste 
on  one  another's  heels.  And  now  they  began  to  bring 
white  hairs,  and  scatter  them  over  the  head  of  Ernest ; 
they  made  reverend  wrinkles  across  his  forehead,  and 
furrows  in  his  cheeks.  He  was  an  aged  man.  But  not  in 
vain  had  he  grown  old  :  more  than  the  white  hairs  on  his 
head  were  the  sage  thoughts  in  his  mind  ;  his  wrinkles 
and  furrows  were  inscriptions  that  Time  had  graved,  and 
in  which  he  had  written  legends  of  wisdom  that  had  been 
tested  by  the  tenor  of  a  life.  And  Ernest  had  ceased  to 
be  obscure.  Unsought  for,  undesired,  had  come  the  fame 
which  so  many  seek,  and  made  him  known  in  the  great 
world,  beyond  the  limits  of  the  valley  in  which  he  had 
dwelt  so  quietly.  College  professors,  and  even  the  active 
men  of  cities,  came  from  far  to  see  and  converse  with 
Ernest ;  for  the  report  had  gone  abroad  that  this  simple 
husbandman  had  ideas  unlike  those  of  other  men,  not 
gained  from  books,  but  of  a  higher  tone,  —  a  tranquil  and 
familiar  ma-jesty,  as  if  he  had  been  talking  with  the  angels 
as  his  daily  friends.  Whether  it  were  sage,  statesman,  or 
philanthropist,  Ernest  received  these  visitors  with  the 
gentle  sincerity  that  had  characterized  him  from  boyhood, 
and  spoke  freely  with  them  of  whatever  came  uppermost, 
or  lay  deepest  in  his  heart  or  their  own.     While  they 


310  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

talked  together,  his  face  would  kindle,  unawares,  and  shine 
upon  them,  as  with  a  mild  evening  light.  Pensive  with 
the  fulness  of  such  discourse,  his  guests  took  leave  and 
went  their  way ;  and  passing  up  the  valley,  paused  to  look 
at  the  Great  Stone  Face,  imagining  that  they  had  seen 
its  likeness  in  a  human  countenance,  but  could  not  re- 
member where. 

53.  While  Ernest  had  been  growing  up  and  growing 
old,  a  bountiful  Providence  had  granted  a  new  poet  to 
this  earth.  He,  likewise,  was  a  native  of  the  valley,  but 
had  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  life  at  a  distance 
from  that  romantic  region,  pouring  out  his  sweet  music 
amid  the  bustle  and  din  of  cities.  Often,  however,  did 
the  mountains  which  had  been  familiar  to  him  in  his  child- 
hood lift  their  snowy  peaks  into  the  clear  atmosphere  of 
his  poetry.  Neither  was  the  Great  Stone  Face  forgotten, 
for  the  poet  had  celebrated  it  in  an  ode,  which  was  grand 
enough  to  have  been  uttered  by  its  own  majestic  lips. 
This  man  of  genius,  we  may  say,  had  come  down  from 
heaven  with  wonderful  endowments.  If  he  sang  of  a 
mountain,  the  eyes  of  all  mankind  beheld  a  mightier 
grandeur  reposing  on  its  breast,  or  soaring  to  its  summit, 
than  had  before  been  seen  there.  If  his  theme  were  a 
lovely  lake,  a  celestial  smile  had  now  been  thrown  over  it, 
to  gleam  forever  on  its  surface.  If  it  were  the  vast  old 
sea,  even  the  deep  immensity  of  its  dread  bosom  seemed 
to  swell  the  higher,  as  if  moved  by  the  emotions  of  the 
song.  Thus  the  world  assumed  another  and  a  better 
aspect  from  the  hour  that  the  poet  blessed  it  with  his 
happy  eyes.  The  Creator  had  bestowed  him,  as  the  last 
best  touch  to  his  own  handiwork.  Creation  was  not  fin- 
ished till  the  poet  came  to  interpret,  and  so  complete  it. 

54.  The  effect  was  no  less  high  and  beautiful,  when  his 
human  brethren  were  the  subject  of  his  verse.     The  man 


THE  GREAT   STONE  FACE  311 

or  woman,  sordid  with  the  common  dust  of  life,  who 
crossed  his  daily  path,  and  the  little  child  who  played  in 
it,  were  glorified  if  he  beheld  them  in  his  mood  of  poetic 
faith.  He  showed  the  golden  links  of  the  great  chain  that 
intertwined  them  with  an  angelic  kindred ;  he  brought 
out  the  hidden  traits  of  a  celestial  birth  that  made  them 
worthy  of  such  kin.  Some,  indeed,  there  were,  who  thought 
to  show  the  soundness  of  their  judgment  by  affirming  that 
all  the  beauty  and  dignity  of  the  natural  world  existed 
only  in  the  poet's  fancy.  Let  such  men  speak  for  them- 
selves, who  undoubtedly  appear  to  have  been  spawned 
forth  by  Nature  with  a  contemptuous  bitterness  ;  she  hav- 
ing plastered  them  up  out  of  her  refuse  stufP,  after  all  the 
swine  were  made.  As  respects  all  things  else,  the  poet's 
ideal  was  the  truest  truth. 

55.  The  songs  of  this  poet  found  their  way  to  Ernest. 
He  read  them  after  his  customary  toil,  seated  on  the  bench 
before  his  cottage-door,  where  for  such  a  length  of  time 
he  had  filled  his  repose  with  thought,  by  gazing  at  the 
Great  Stone  Face.  And  now  as  he  read  stanzas  that 
caused  the  soul  to  thrill  within  him,  he  lifted  his  eyes  to 
the  vast  countenance  beaming  on  him  so  benignantly. 

56.  "  O  majestic  friend,"  he  murmured,  addressing  the 
Great  Stone  Face,  "  is  not  this  man  worthy  to  resemble 
thee  ?  " 

57.  The  Face  seemed  to  smile,  but  answered  not  a 
word. 

58.  Now  it  happened  that  the  poet,  though  he  dwelt  so 
far  away,  had  not  only  heard  of  Ernest,  but  had  meditated 
much  upon  his  character,  until  he  deemed  nothing  so 
desirable  as  to  meet  this  man,  whose  untaught  wisdom 
walked  hand  in  hand  with  the  noble  simplicity  of  his  life. 
One  summer  morning,  therefore,  he  took  passage  by  the 
railroad,  and,  in  the  decline  of  the  afternoon,  alighted 


312  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

from  the  cars  at  no  great  distance  from  Ernest's  cottage. 
The  great  hotel,  which  had  formerly  been  the  palace 
of  Mr.  Gathergold,  was  close  at  hand,  but  the  poet, 
with  his  carpet-bag  on  his  arm,  inquired  at  once  where 
Ernest  dwelt,  and  was  resolved  to  be  accepted  as  his 
guest. 

59.  Approaching  the  door,  he  there  found  the  good  old 
man,  holding  a  volume  in  his  hand,  which  alternately  he 
read,  and  then,  with  a  finger  between  the  leaves,  looked 
lovingly  at  the  Great  Stone  Face. 

60.  "  Good  evening,"  said  the  poet.  "  Can  you  give  a 
traveller  a  night's  lodging  ?  " 

61.  "  Willingly,"  answered  Ernest ;  and  then  he  added, 
smiling,  "  Methinks  I  never  saw  the  Great  Stone  Face 
look  so  hospitably  at  a  stranger." 

62.  The  poet  sat  down  on  the  bench  beside  him,  and  he 
and  Ernest  talked  together.  Often  had  the  poet  held 
intercourse  with  the  wittiest  and  the  wisest,  but  never 
before  with  a  man  like  Ernest,  whose  thoughts  and  feel- 
ings gushed  up  with  such  a  natural  freedom,  and  who 
made  great  truths  so  familiar  by  his  simple  utterance  of 
them.  Angels,  as  had  been  so  often  said,  seemed  to  have 
wrought  with  him  at  his  labor  in  the  fields ;  angels  seemed 
to  have  sat  with  him  by  the  fireside ;  and,  dwelling  with 
angels  as  friend  with  friends,  he  had  imbibed  the  sublimity 
of  their  ideas,  and  imbued  it  with  the  sweet  and  lowly 
charm  of  household  words.  So  thought  the  poet.  And 
Ernest,  on  the  other  hand,  was  moved  and  agitated  by  the 
living  images  which  the  poet  flung  out  of  his  mind,  and 
which  peopled  all  the  air  about  the  cottage-door  with 
shapes  of  beauty,  both  gay  and  pensive.  The  sympathies 
of  these  two  men  instructed  them  with  a  profounder  sense 
than  either  could  have  attained  alone.  Their  minds  ac- 
corded into  one  strain,  and  made  delightful  music  which 


THE  GREAT  STONE  FACE  313 

neither  of  them  could  have  claimed  as  all  his  own,  nor  dis- 
tinguished his  own  share  from  the  other's.  They  led  one 
another,  as  it  were,  into  a  high  pavilion  of  their  thoughts, 
so  remote,  and  hitherto  so  dim,  that  they  had  never  en- 
tered it  before,  and  so  beautiful  that  they  desired  to  be 
there  always. 

63.  As  Ernest  listened  to  the  poet,  he  imagined  that 
the  Great  Stone  Face  was  bending  forward  to  listen  too. 
He  gazed  earnestly  into  the  poet's  glowing  eyes. 

64.  "Who  are  you,  my  strangely  gifted  guest?"  he 
said. 

65.  The  poet  laid  his  finger  on  the  volume  that  Ernest 
had  been  reading. 

66.  "You  have  read  these  poems,"  said  he.  "You 
know  me,  then,  —  for  I  wrote  them." 

67.  Again,  and  still  more  earnestly  than  before,  Ernest 
examined  the  poet's  features ;  then  turned  towards  the 
Great  Stone  Face ;  then  back,  with  an  uncertain  aspect, 
to  his  guest.  But  his  countenance  fell;  he  shook  his 
head,  and  sighed. 

68.  "  Wherefore  are  you  sad  ?  "  inquired  the  poet. 

69.  "  Because,"  replied  Ernest,  "  all  through  life  I 
have  awaited  the  fulfilment  of  a  prophecy;  and,  when 
I  read  these  poems,  I  hoped  that  it  might  be  fulfilled 
in  you." 

70.  "  You  hoped,"  answered  the  poet,  faintly  smiling, 
"  to  find  in  me  the  likeness  of  the  Great  Stone  Face.  And 
you  are  disappointed,  as  formerly  with  Mr.  Gathergold, 
and  Old  Blood-and-Thunder,  and  Old  Stony  Phiz.  Yes, 
Ernest,  it  is  my  doom.  You  must  add  my  name  to  the 
illustrious  three,  and  record  another  failure  of  your  hopes. 
For  —  in  shame  and  sadness  do  I  speak  it,  Ernest  —  I 
am  not  worthy  to  be  typified  by  yonder  benign  and  majes- 
tic image." 


314  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

71.  "  And  why  ? "  asked  Ernest.  He  pointed  to  the 
volume.     "  Are  not  those  thoughts  divine  ?  " 

72.  "  They  have  a  strain  of  the  Divinity,"  replied  the 
poet.  "  You  can  hear  in  them  the  far-off  echo  of  a  hea- 
venly song.  But  my  life,  dear  Ernest,  has  not  corresponded 
with  my  thought.  I  have  had  grand  dreams,  but  they 
have  been  only  dreams,  because  I  have  lived  —  and  that, 
too,  by  my  own  choice  —  among  poor  and  mean  realities. 
Sometimes  even  —  shall  I  dare  to  say  it  ?  —  I  lack  faith 
in  the  grandeur,  the  beauty,  and  the  goodness,  which  my 
own  works  are  said  to  have  made  more  evident  in  nature 
and  in  human  life.  Why,  then,  pure  seeker  of  the  good 
and  true,  shouldst  thou  hope  to  find  me,  in  yonder  image 
of  the  divine  ?  " 

73.  The  poet  spoke  sadly,  and  his  eyes  were  dim  with 
tears.     So,  likewise,  were  those  of  Ernest. 

74.  At  the  hour  of  sunset,  as  had  long  been  his  fre- 
quent custom,  Ernest  was  to  discourse  to  an  assemblage 
of  the  neighboring  inhabitants  in  the  open  air.  He  and 
the  poet,  arm  in  arm,  still  talking  together  as  they  went 
along,  proceeded  to  the  spot.  It  was  a  small  nook  among 
the  hills,  with  a  gray  precipice  behind,  the  stern  front 
of  which  was  relieved  by  the  pleasant  foliage  of  many 
creeping  plants  that  made  a  tapestry  for  the  naked  rock, 
by  hanging  their  festoons  from  all  its  rugged  angles.  At 
a  small  elevation  above  the  ground,  set  in  a  rich  frame- 
work of  verdure,  there  appeared  a  niche,  spacious  enough 
to  admit  a  human  figure,  with  freedom  for  such  gestures 
as  spontaneously  accompany  earnest  thought  and  genuine 
emotion.  Into  this  natural  pulpit  Ernest  ascended,  and 
threw  a  look  of  familiar  kindness  around  upon  his  audi- 
ence. They  stood,  or  sat,  or  reclined  upon  the  grass,  as 
seemed  good  to  each,  with  the  departing  sunshine  falling 
obliquely  over  them,  and  mingling  its  subdued  cheerful- 


THE  GREAT  STONE  FACE  315 

ness  with  the  solemnity  of  a  grove  of  ancient  trees,  be- 
neath and  amid  the  boughs  of  which  the  golden  rays 
were  constrained  to  pass.  In  another  direction  was  seen 
the  Great  Stone  Face,  with  the  same  cheer,  combined  with 
the  same  solemnity,  in  its  benignant  aspect. 

75.  Ernest  began  to  speak,  giving  to  the  people  of  what 
was  in  his  heart  and  mind.  His  words  had  power,  be- 
cause they  accorded  with  his  thoughts ;  and  his  thoughts 
had  reality  and  depth,  because  they  harmonized  with  the 
life  which  he  had  always  lived.  It  was  not  mere  breath 
that  this  preacher  uttered ;  they  were  the  words  of  life, 
because  a  life  of  good  deeds  and  holy  love  was  melted  into 
them.  Pearls,  pure  and  rich,  had  been  dissolved  into  this 
precious  draught.  The  poet,  as  he  listened,  felt  that  the 
being  and  character  of  Ernest  were  a  nobler  strain  of 
poetry  than  he  had  ever  written.  His  eyes  glistening  with 
tears,  he  gazed  reverentially  at  the  venerable  man,  and 
said  within  himself  that  never  was  there  an  aspect  so 
worthy  of  a  prophet  and  a  sage  as  that  mild,  sweet, 
thoughtful  countenance,  with  the  glory  of  white  hair  dif- 
fused about  it.  At  a  distance,  but  distinctly  to  be  seen, 
high  up  in  the  golden  light  of  the  setting  sun,  appeared 
the  Great  Stone  Face,  with  hoary  mists  around  it,  like  the 
white  hairs  around  the  brow  of  Ernest.  Its  look  of  grand 
beneficence  seemed  to  embrace  the  world. 

76.  At  that  moment,  in  sympathy  with  a  thought  which 
he  was  about  to  utter,  the  face  of  Ernest  assumed  a  gran- 
deur of  expression,  so  imbued  with  benevolence,  that  the 
poet,  by  an  irresistible  impulse,  threw  his  arms  aloft,  and 
shouted,  — 

77.  "Behold!  Behold!  Ernest  is  himself  the  likeness 
of  the  Great  Stone  Face  !  " 

78.  Then  all  the  people  looked,  and  saw  that  what  the 
deep-sighted  poet  said  was  true.    The  prophecy  was  ful- 


316  ELEMENTARY  COMPOSITION 

filled.  But  Ernest,  having  finished  what  he  had  to  say, 
took  the  poet's  arm,  and  walked  slowly  homeward,  still 
hoping  that  some  wiser  and  better  man  than  himself  would 
by  and  by  appear,  bearing  a  resemblance  to  the  Great 
Stone  Face. 


RULES  FOR  PUNCTUATION. 

A  Period  closes  every  declarative  sentence. 

A  Period  is  used  after  abbreviations. 

A  Period  follows  a  letter  heading,  a  signature,  or  a 
title. 

An  Exclamation  Mark  follows  an  expression  of 
strong  emotion. 

A  Question  Mark  follows  a  direct  question. 

A  Colon,  or  a  Colon  and  a  Dash,  usually  precede  a 
long  quotation,  or  a  quotation  formally  introduced. 

A  Semicolon  is  generally  used  to  separate  the  inde- 
pendent clauses  of  a  sentence,  if  they  are  complex,  or 
if  the  clauses  themselves  contain  commas,  or  if  the 
connectives  are  omitted. 

A  Comma  is  used  to  separate  words  used  in  a  series, 
unless  all  of  them  are  joined  by  connecting  words. 

A  Comma  is  used  to  separate  the  items  of  a  letter 
heading,  date,  and  address. 

A  Comma,  or  Commas,  are  used  to  separate  the 
name  of  a  person  or  thing  addressed  from  the  rest  of 
a  sentence. 

Commas  are  used  to  enclose  small  groups  of  closely 
related  words  to  indicate  their  own  near  relation,  and 
to  separate  them  from  words  they  might  otherwise  be 
thought  to  modify. 

Commas  are  used  to  separate  words,  phrases,  or 
clauses,  either  explanatory  or  parenthetical,  from  the 
rest  of  a  sentence. 

A  Comma,  or  Commas,  separate  a  short  informal 
quotation  from  the  words  of  the  author. 


318  RULES  FOR  PUNCTUATION 

A  Coniina  is  used  to  separate  the  independent  parts 
of  a  sentence,  if  they  are  simple  and  the  connective  is 
expressed. 

A  Comma,  or  Commas,  separate  words  or  phrases  out 
of  their  natural  order  from  the  rest  of  a  sentence. 

An  Apostrophe  is  used  in  place  of  omitted  letters  in 
contractions. 

An  Apostrophe  is  used  to  indicate  possession. 

A  Hyphen  is  used  to  separate  the  parts  of  a  com- 
pound word. 

A  Hyphen  is  used  to  separate  the  syllables  of  a  word 
broken  at  the  end  of  a  line. 

Quotation  Marks  should  enclose  every  direct  quota- 
tion. 

Quotation  Marks  should  enclose  each  part  of  a 
broken  quotation. 

Quotation  Marks  enclose  partial  quotations. 

Quotation  Marks  usually  enclose  the  names  of  books 
and  the  titles  of  pieces,  when  introduced  into  dis- 
course. 

Single  Marks  of  Quotation  enclose  a  quotation  within 
a  quotation. 

Quotation  Marks  should  not  enclose  an  indirect 
quotation. 

A  Capital  Letter  is  used  to  begin  the  first  word  of  a 
sentence. 

A  Capital  Letter  is  used  to  begin  the  first  word  of  a 
line  of  poetry. 

A  Capital  Letter  is  used  to  begin  all  names  of  and 
pronouns  referring  to  the  Deity. 

A  Capital  Letter  is  used  to  begin  all  proper  names, 
and  all  words  derived  from  proper  names. 

A  Capital  Letter  is  used  to  begin  the  first  word  and 
each  important  word  of  a  title. 

A  Capital  Letter  is  used  to  begin  the  first  word  of 
every  direct  quotation. 

The  words  I  and  O  are  written  with  Capital  Letters. 


INDEX 


Abou  Ben  Adhem  (Hunt),  104, 
105. 

Acceptance,  Notes  of,  274,  288, 
289. 

Adams,  quotation  from,  256. 

Additive  Relation  in  Sentences, 
126,  127. 

Address  of  a  Letter,  266-268. 

Adversative  Relation  in  Sen- 
tences, 126,  127. 

Alternative  Relation  in  Sentences, 
126,  127. 

American  Commonwealth,  The 
(Bryce),  quotations  from,  24, 
25,  249. 

Amplification,  163-170;  Defini- 
tion of,  163  ;  Method  of,  163. 

Analogy  in  Exposition,  257-260  ; 
Compared  with  Ratios,  257, 
258. 

Antonyms,  Use  of,  88-92  ;  Defi- 
nition of,  89. 

Arrangement  of  Parts  of  a  Sen- 
tence, 137,  138  ;  in  Narration, 
182-184  ;  in  Description,  232- 
237  ;  in  Exposition,  241-243. 

Arthur  Bonnicastle  (Holland), 
quotation  from,  3,  4. 

Asia  (Carpenter),  quotation  from, 
41. 

Bach,  Sebastian,  Sketch  of,  164- 
169 ;  Morning  Prayers  at  the 
Home  of.  Picture,  165. 

Bee  and  the  Flower,  The  (Tenny- 
son), 8. 

Beethoven,  Ludvig  van,  descrip- 
tion of  (Crowest),  179,  180  ;  in 
His  Study,  Picture,  155;  his 
Moonlight  Sonata,  J5X-154. 


Beginning  of  a  Story,  The,  193- 
196. 

Being  a  Boy  (Warner),  quota- 
tions from,  15,  92. 

Bleak  House  (Dickens),  quota- 
tion from,  233. 

Body  of  a  Letter,  271-275. 

Brown,  Dr.  John,  quoted,  223. 

Browning,  Robert,  quoted,  144, 
196-202. 

Bryant,  William  Cullen,  quoted, 
124,  125. 

Bryce,  James,  quoted,  24,  25, 
249. 

Burns,  Robert,  quoted,  59. 

Burroughs,  John,  quoted,  40. 

Camping  Out  (Warner),  quota- 
tion from,  128. 
Capital  Letters,  Rules  for  Use  of, 

4,  6,  21,  318. 
Carpenter,  Frank,  quoted,  41. 
Cathedral  of  Strasburg  (Hugo), 

Description  of,  233. 
Characters  in  a  Story,  193. 
Chesterfield,  Lord,  quoted,  61,  62. 
Child's   History   of   England,   A 

(Dickens),  quotations  from,  6, 

130,  131. 
Christmas   Carol,   A    (Dickens), 

quotations  from,  87,  127,  128. 
Colon,  Rule  for  its  Use,  10. 
Comma,  Rules  for   its   Use,   10, 

120-122,  129,  138,  317,  318. 
Commercial  Geography  (Adams), 

quotation  from,  256. 
Complimentary  Close  of  a  Letter, 

275-277. 
Comparisons,  Use  of,  97-113. 
Composition  Writing,  145-177. 


320 


INDEX 


Condensation,  Use  of,  149,  150  ; 
Method  of,  150. 

Consistency  in  a  Story,  191,  192. 

Contrasts,  Use  of,  in  Sentences, 
93-96. 

Conversation,  Paragraphs  in  re- 
ported, 13. 

Crowest,  quoted,  179,  180. 

Curiosity,  Picture  of,  227. 

Curtis,  George  William,  quoted, 
140,  141. 

Daisy,  To  the  (Wordsworth), 
110,  111. 

Daudet,  Alphonse,  quoted,  49- 
51. 

Death  of  the  Dauphin,  The  (Dau- 
det), 49-51. 

Definition,  A,  239  ;  a  Method  of 
Exposition,  247. 

Description,  205-238  ;  definition 
of,  179  ;  observation  necessary, 
205,  222,  223  ;  what  to  intro- 
duce into,  206  ;  point  of  view, 
207-212  ;  change  in  point  of 
view,  211  ;  compared  with  pho- 
tography, 210  ;  feeling  in,  212- 
222  ;  number  of  details  in,  226- 
232  ;  arrangement  of  parts  in, 
232-237. 

Deserted  Village,  The  (Gold- 
smith), quotations  from,  34, 35, 
54-58. 

Dickens,  Charles,  quoted,  6,  87, 
127,  128,  130,  131,  224,  233. 

Digression  in  a  Story,  186. 

Direct  Quotations,  1-14  ;  defini- 
tion of,  2  ;  rules  for  the  punc- 
tuation of,  2,  7,  10. 

Double  Negatives,  37-38. 

Dream  Days  (Grahame),  quota- 
tion from,  189,  190. 

Earth  and  its  Story,  The 
(Heilprin),  quotation  from, 
259. 

Emmy  Lou  (Martin),  quotation 
from,  195. 


Emphasis  by  change  in  sentence 
order,  137,  138. 

Epistle  to  Davie  (Burns),  59. 

Examples,  Use  of,  in  Exposition, 
253-257. 

Exclamation  Mark,  Rule  for,  10. 

Exposition,  239-263;  definition 
of,  179  ;  subjects  for,  239  ;  out- 
lines in,  240,  241  ;  compared 
to  a  map,  241  ;  details  in  expo- 
sition, 241-243  ;  by  definition, 
247-250  ;  by  repetition,  247- 
250  ;  by  obverse  repetition, 
250-252  ;  by  examples,  253- 
257  ;  by  analogy,  257-260  ; 
general  observations  upon,  260- 
263. 

Fairy  Stories,  192. 

Feeling  in  description,  212-222  ; 
how  obtained,  212-216. 

Fields,  James  T.,  quoted,  44. 

Figures  of  Speech,  102-113. 

Fisherman  and  the  Genie,  The, 
27-30. 

Fiske,  John,  quoted,  24. 

Forms  of  Composition,  178,  179  ; 
narration,  178-204  ;  descrip- 
tion, 205-238  ;  exposition,  239- 
263. 

Gettysburg  Speech  (Lincoln), 
263. 

Gisze,  George,  description  of,  229, 
230. 

Golden  Age,  The  (Grahame), 
quotation  from,  1. 

Goldsmith,  Oliver,  quoted,  34,  35, 
54-58. 

Grahame,  Kenneth,  quoted,  1, 
189,  190. 

Great  Stone  Face,  Picture  of, 
77. 

Great  Stone  Face,  The  (Haw- 
thorne), questions  upon,  76,  80- 
83,  85,  86, 88-90,  95, 101  ;  quo- 
tation from,  105  ;  complete, 
292-317. 


INDEX 


321 


Hawthorne,  Nathaniel,  quot- 
ed, 105,  123,  292-317. 

Hazlitt,  William,  quoted,  131, 
132. 

Heading  of  a  letter,  264-266. 

Heilprin,  Angelo,  quoted,  259. 

Heritage,  The  (Lowell),  71-73. 

Hervd  Kiel  (Browning),  196-202. 

Hodja's  Donkey,  The,  14. 

Holland,  J.  G.,  quoted,  3, 4. 

House  of  the  Seven  Gables,  The 
(Hawthorne),  quotation  from, 
123. 

Hubbard,  Elbert,  quoted,  48. 

Hugo,  Victor,  quoted,  233. 

Hunt,  Leigh,  quoted,  104,  105. 

Importance  of  the  Union,  The 
(Webster),  237. 

Indirect  quotations,  14-16  ;  de- 
finition of,  16  ;  punctuation  of, 
16. 

Interest  necessary  to  good  com- 
position, 145,  146  ;  gained  by 
writing  to  some  person,  147;  at 
the  beginning  of  a  story,  193. 

Invitation,  Notes  of,  288,  289. 

Irving,  Washington,  quoted,  115, 
118, 119. 

Jackson,  Helen,  quoted,  170- 

176. 
Jefferies,   Richard,  quoted,   139, 

141, 143. 
Jonson,  Ben,  quoted,  93. 

Knowledge  of  the  Subject 
Necessary,  145, 146. 

LaFarge,  John,  quoted,  234. 

Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel,  The 
(Scott),  quotation  from,  291. 

Length  of  an  Essay,  148,  149. 

Length  of  a  Paragraph,  46-52, 
59-63. 

L*Estrange,  Sir  Roger,  quoted, 
65. 

Letter  Writing,  264-290  ;  head- 
ing of,  264-266 ;  address  of, 


266-268  ;  titles  in  address,  267; 
salutation  of,  269,  270  ;  punc- 
tuation of  salutation,  270;  body 
of  a  letter,  271-275  ;  business 
letters,  273  ;  friendly  letters, 
272  ;  paragraphs  in  letters,  274; 
society  notes,  274,  275  ;  com- 
plimentary close  of  letters, 
275-277  ;  signature,  the,  277  ; 
notes  of  invitation,  274,  288, 
289  ;  notes  of  acceptance,  274, 
289  ;  notes  of  regret,  274,  289. 

"Like  "and*' As,"  98,  99. 

Lincoln,  Abraham,  quoted,  263. 

Lion  of  Lucerne,  Picture  of,  69. 

Literature  :  Poems  ;  Extracts  and 
Complete  Selections.  Abou  Ben 
Adhem  (Hunt),  104,  105; 
Daisy,  To  the  (Wordsworth), 
110,  111  ;  Deserted  Village, 
The  (Goldsmith),  34,  35,  54- 
58;  Epistle  to  Davie,  The 
(Burns),  59  ;  Heritage,  The 
(Lowell),  71-73  ;  Hervd  Riel 
(Browning),  196-202  ;  Lay  of 
the  Last  Minstrel,  The  (Scott), 
291  ;  Pippa  Passes  (Browning), 
144  ;  True  Ballad  of  the  King's 
Singer,  The  (Jackson),  173- 
176 ;  Underwoods  (Jonson), 
93  ;  Vision  of  Sir  Launf  al.  The 
(Lowell),  219,  220;  Yellow  Vio- 
let, The  (Bryant),  124,  125. 

Literature  :  Prose  ;  Extracts  and 
Complete  Selections.  American 
Commonwealth,  The  (Bryce), 
24,  25,  249;  Arthur  Bonni- 
castle  (Holland),  3,  4  ;  Asia 
(Carpenter),  41  ;  Bee  and  the 
Flower,  The  (Tennyson),  8 ; 
Beethoven  (Crowest),  180, 181 ; 
Being  a  Boy  (Warner),  15, 92  ; 
Bleak  House  (Dickens),  233  ; 
Camping  Out  (Warner),  128  ; 
Cathedral  of  Strasburg  (Hugo), 
233  ;  Child's  History  of  Eng- 
land, A  (Dickens),  6,  131 ; 
Christmas  Carol,  A  (Dickens), 
87, 127, 128  ;  Commercial  Geo- 


322 


INDEX 


graphy  (Adams),  256  ;  Death 
of  the  Dauphin,  The  (Daudet), 
49-51  ;  Dream  Days  (Gra- 
hame),  189, 190  ;  Earth  and  its 
Story,  The  (Heilprin),  259  ; 
Emmy  Lou  (Martin),  195  ; 
Fisherman  and  the  Genie,  The, 
27-30  ;  Gettysburg  Speech 
(Lincoln),  263  ;  Golden  Age, 
The  (Grahame),  1  ;  Great  Stone 
Face,  The  (Hawthorne),  105, 
292  ;  Hodja's  Donkey,  The,  14  ; 
House  of  the  Seven  Gables, 
The  (Hawthorne),  123  ;  Impor- 
tance of  the  Union,  The  (Web- 
ster), 237  ;  Little  Rivers  (Van 
Dyke),  22,  23  ;  Lodging  for  the 
Night,  A  (Stevenson),  83  ; 
Malibran  and  the  Young  Musi- 
cian, 159-162  ;  Man  and  the 
Goose,  The,  14  ;  My  Summer 
in  a  Garden  (Warner),  248, 
255, 258,  259  ;  Old  Virginia  and 
Her  Neighbours  (Fiske),  24  ; 
On  the  Conduct  of  Life  (Haz- 
litt),  24  ;  Origin  of  Rivers,  The 
(Tyndall),  244-246  ;  Pleasures 
of  Life,  The  (Lubbock),  41,  42  ; 
Prince  and  the  Pauper,  The 
(Twain),  235,  236  ;  Prue  and  I 
(Curtis),  140, 141  ;  Roundabout 
Papers  (Thackeray),  231 ;  Rules 
of  Conduct  (Washington),  129, 
130  ;  Seneca's  Morals  (L  *Es- 
trange),65  ;  Sketch  Book,  The 
(Irving),  115,  118,  119  ;  Titian 
(Hubbard),  48  ;  Tod  (Riley), 
236  ;  Uncommercial  Traveller 
(Dickens),  224 ;  Underbrush 
(Fields),  44 ;  Wild  Animals  I 
have  Known  (Thompson),  48  ; 
Wild  Animals  near  Home 
(Sharp),  218,  225  ;  Wild  Ap- 
ples (Thoreau),  41 ;  Wild  Flow- 
ers (Jefferies),  139,  141-143  ; 
Will  o'  the  Mill  (Stevenson), 
85 ;  Winning  of  the  West 
(Roosevelt),  23,  24  ;  Winter 
Sunshine  (Burroughs),  40. 


Little  Rivers  (Van  Dyke),  quota- 
tions from,  22,  23. 

Lodging  for  the  Night,  A  (Ste- 
venson), quotation  from,  83. 

Lowell,  J.  R.,  quoted,  71-73, 219, 
220,  222,  281-283. 

Lubbock,  Sir  John,  quoted,  41, 
42. 

Main  Incident,  The,  in  narra- 
tion, 184-190  ;  position  of,  184 ; 
directs  the  story,  186  ;  gives 
unity  to  the  story,  186,  187. 

Malibran  and  the  Young  Musi- 
cian, 159-162. 

Man  and  the  Goose,  The,  14. 

Martin,  George  Madden,  quoted, 
195. 

Metaphor,  102-113  ;  can  be 
changed  to  simile,  103. 

Moral  of  a  Story,  185. 

Morning  Prayers  at  Sebastian 
Bach's,  Picture  of,  165. 

Motley,  John  Lothrop,  quoted, 
231. 

Mozart,  Wolfgang,  Sketch  of, 
168-170. 

Mozart  Singing  his  Requiem,  Pic- 
ture of,  171. 

My  Summer  in  a  Garden  (War- 
ner), quotations  from,  248,255, 
258,  259. 

Narration,  178-204  ;  definition 
of,  178  ;  arrangement  in,  182- 
184  ;  main  incident  of,  184- 
190  ;  consistency  in,  191,  192  ; 
how  to  begin,  193-195. 

Number  of  details  in  description, 
226-232. 

Observation  necessary  in  de- 
scription, 205,  206,  222,  223. 

Obverse  Repetition,  its  Use  in 
Exposition,  250-253. 

Old  Virginia  and  her  Neighbours 
(Fiske),  quotation  from,  24. 

On  the  Conduct  of  Life  (Hazlitt)j 
quotation  from,  131,  132. 


INDEX 


323 


Origin  of  Rivers,  The  (Tyndall), 
quotation  from,  244-24^5. 

Outlines,  their  Use  in  Exposition, 
240-244. 

Paragraphs,  22-74  ;  definition 
of,  22  ;  topic  sentence  of,  25, 
39-42  ;  length  of,  46-52,  59-63 ; 
unity  of,  60  ;  in  reported  con- 
versation, 13  ;  in  letters,  274. 

Partial  quotations,  17-19  ;  punc- 
tuation of,  18. 

Personification,  102-113. 

Pippa  Passes  (Browning),  quota- 
tion from,  144. 

Place  of  a  Story,  193. 

Pleasures  of  Life,  The  (Lubbock), 
quotation  from,  41,  42. 

Point  of  View,  207-212  ;  change 
in,  208,  209. 

Prince  and  the  Pauper,  The 
(Mark  Twain),  quotation  from, 
235,  236. 

Proportion  in  Treatment,  157- 
163. 

Proverbs  incomplete  Analogies, 
259. 

Prue  and  I  (Curtis),  quotation 
from,  140, 141. 

Punctuation,  Rules  for,  317,  318. 

Queen  Louise  of  Prussia,  Pic- 
ture of,  55. 

Question,  Rule  for,  10. 

*'  Quite,"  Use  of,  95. 

Quotations,  1-21  ;  direct,  defini- 
tion and  punctuation  of,  2  ;  in- 
direct, definition  and  punctua- 
tion of,  16  ;  punctuation  of,  10  ; 
broken,  rule  for  capital  letters 
in,  6,  7  ;  partial  punctuation  of, 
18  ;  within  a  quotation,  19,  20. 

Quotation  Marks,  Rules  for  the 
Use  of,  2, 10, 21 ;  position  of,  7; 
single  marks  of  quotation,  19. 

Regret,  Notes  of,  274,  289. 
Repetition,  Use  of,  in  Exposition, 
247-249  ;  obverse,  250-253. 


Riley,  James  Whitcomb,  quoted, 

236. 
Roosevelt,  Theodore,  quoted,  23, 

24. 
Roundabout  Papers  (Thackeray), 

quotations  from,  231. 
Rules  of  Conduct  (Washington), 

quotations  from,  129,  130. 

Salutation  of  a  Letter,  269, 
270. 

Scott,  Sir  Walter,  quoted,  291. 

Semicolon,  Rules  for  the  Use  of, 
31,  129. 

Seneca's  Morals  (L' Estrange), 
quotation  from,  65. 

Sentences,  75-144  ;  unity  of,  113- 
137  ;  what  to  include  in,  113, 
114,  125-128  ;  what  to  exclude 
from,  133-137 ;  arrangement  of 
parts  in,  137,  138  ;  emphasis 
obtained  by  change  of  order  in, 
137,  138  ;  additive  relation  in, 
126  ;  alternative  relation  in, 
126  ;  adversative  relation  in, 
126. 

Sharp,  Dallas  Lore,  quoted,  218, 
225. 

Signature  of  a  Letter,  277. 

Simile,  102-113  ;  can  be  changed 
to  Metaphor,  103. 

Sketch  Book  (Irving),  quotations 
from,  115, 118, 119. 

Society  Notes,  Forms  of,  274, 275, 
288,  289. 

"  Splendid,"  86. 

Stevenson,  Robert  Louis,  quoted, 
83,  85. 

Strasburg  Cathedral,  description 
of,  233. 

Synonyms,  75-88  ;  definition  of, 
76 ;  care  in  the  choice  of,  79, 
80. 

Tennyson,  Alfred  Lord,  quot- 
ed, 8. 

Thackeray,  William  Makepeace, 
description  of,  231;  selection 
from,  231. 


324 


INDEX 


Thompson,  Ernest  Seton,  quoted, 

48. 
Thoreau,  Henry   David,   quoted, 

41. 
Time  of  a  Story,  193. 
Titian  (Hubbard),  quotation  from, 

48. 
Titles,  punctuation  of,  21 ;  use  of, 

in  a  letter,  267. 
Tod  (Riley),  quotation  from,  236. 
Topic   sentence   of  a  paragraph, 

25,  39-42  ;  position  of,  39-40  ; 

no  topic  sentence,  31. 
True  Ballad  of  the  King's  Singer, 

The  (Jackson),  170-176. 
Twain,  Mark,  quoted,  235,  236. 
Tyndall,  John,  quoted,  244-246. 

Uncommercial        Traveller, 

The  (Dickens),  quotation  from, 

224. 
Underbrush    (Fields),  quotation 

from,  44. 
Underwoods  (Jonson),  quotation 

from,  93. 
Unity  of  sentences,  113-137  ;  of 

paragraphs,   60 ;    of   a    story, 

gained  how,  186. 

Van  Dyke,  Henry,  quoted,  23. 
Vision  of  Sir  Launfal,  The  (Low- 
ell), quotation  from,  219,  220. 


Warner,  Charles  Dudley, 
quoted,  15,  92,  128,  248,  255, 
258,  259. 

Washington,  George,  quoted,  129, 
130. 

Webster,  Daniel,  quoted,  237, 
238. 

Wild  Animals  I  have  Known 
(Thompson),  quotation  from, 
48. 

Wild  Animals  near  Home 
(Sharp),  quotations  from,  218, 
225. 

Wild  Apples  (Thoreau),  quota- 
tion from,  41. 

Wild  Flowers  (Jefferies),  quota- 
tions from,  139,  141-143. 

Will  o'  the  Mill  (Stevenson),  quo- 
tation from,  85. 

Winning  of  the  West  (Roose- 
velt), quotation  from,  23,  24. 

Winter  Sunshine  (Burroughs), 
quotation  from,  40. 

Wordsworth,  William,  quoted, 
110,  111. 

Wounded  Lioness,  The,  Picture 
of,  213. 

Yellow  Violet,  The  (Bryant), 

124,125. 
Yokohama,   description    of    (La 

Farge),  234. 


Blectrotyped  and  printed  by  H.  O.  Houghton  &»  Co 
Cambridge  y   Mass.,  U.S.A. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
BERKELEY 

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